Notice to Modi on Varanasi election plea

Allahabad, July 19

The Allahabad HC today issued notice to PM Narendra Modi on a petition challenging his election from Varanasi parliamentary constituency. Justice MK Gupta fixed August 21 for hearing the case. 

The petition was filed by former BSF jawan Tej Bahadur Yadav, who was declared Samajwadi Party candidate from Varanasi but failed to contest the election as his nomination papers were rejected by the returning officer.

The reason given for rejection of Yadav’s papers was his failure to submit a certificate that he was not sacked from the BSF for either corruption or disloyalty. In his poll petition, Yadav alleged his nomination was wrongly rejected and requested the court to declare null and void Modi’s election as MP from Varanasi. After hearing the petitioner’s counsel who argued that Yadav was not given a chance of being heard before rejection of his nomination papers, the court issued notice to Modi. — PTI