Patna high court nixes BJP MP’s election for hiding criminal cases

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PATNA: On Thursday the Patna high court set aside the election of BJP MP Chhedi Paswan for concealing facts in his election affidavit filed during the 2014 general election. Paswan had defeated former Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar by over 63,000 votes from Sasaram in the election.
The order was passed by a single bench of Justice Kishore K Mandal on an election petition filed by advocate Ganga Prasad Mishra. The petition alleged Paswan did not make any mention in his election affidavit about three cases lodged against him.
The high court upheld the plea as Mohania police station cases — 168/2006, 28/2005 and 206/2005 — were not mentioned in the election affidavit though Paswan is named in these cases.
“Section 145 IPC (joining or continuing in unlawful assembly) was invoked against Paswan. It is punishable with two-year imprisonment or fine or both. A candidate is required to mention in his election affidavit all cases against him, which may lead to imprisonment of two years or more,” a counsel said.
Details of these cases were declared in Paswan’s election affidavit for 2010 assembly polls when he contested from Mohania.
Sources said these cases were lodged by the Kaimur district administration when Paswan had staged a dharna and blocked roads while agitating against the Durgawati Reservoir Project.
Paswan, however, told media persons he would move the Supreme Court against the HC decision. “The cases pertained to my agitation for public welfare. I did fail to mention them in my election affidavit but it was not intentional,” he said.
Meanwhile, former Speaker Kumar hailed the HC decision. “A Sasaram voter had filed the case because Paswan had misled them. It is the victory of the people of Sasaram,” she said.