Owaisi questions EC procedure on Natarajan's Rajya Sabha nomination

AIMIM Chief Asaduddin Owaisi questioned the EC's rejection of Meenakshi Natarajan's Rajya Sabha nomination, citing the absence of an FIR. A Congress delegation met the EC, while the Supreme Court agreed to hear Natarajan's plea on the matter.

Owaisi Questions EC Procedure

AIMIM Chief and MP Asaduddin Owaisi on Thursday commented on the rejection of Meenakshi Natarajan's Rajya Sabha nomination, raising questions over the procedure followed by the Election Commission. Addressing the media, Owaisi said, "Regarding the Election Commission nomination form, if there is an FIR against you, you are required to disclose it. Now, she claims there is no FIR. Regarding this matter, one would have to consult the Election Commission to determine the next steps."

Owaisi referred to Rajya Sabha MP Abhishek Manu Singhvi, who had earlier stated that there was no FIR against him, and that the issue involved only a private complaint. "If there is no FIR, what action can be taken? Earlier, under the BNSS, if you filed a complaint with the court, the court could refer it and order the registration of an FIR. That is no longer the case," he noted.

He further said that, based on statements reported in the media by Singhvi, there is currently no FIR against Natarajan; there was only a private complaint, and she was issued a notice to appear before the court. "I do not know the full truth, but from what I have heard and read in newspapers, Singhvi maintains there is no FIR against her," Owaisi added.

Congress Challenges Rejection

The AIMIM leader's remarks come amid a growing debate over the eligibility criteria for Rajya Sabha nominations and the role of pending complaints or legal matters in the process. The Election Commission has consistently maintained that all relevant information, including FIRs, must be declared at the time of filing the nomination.

A ten-member Congress delegation met with the Election Commission in New Delhi over the rejection of party Rajya Sabha candidate Meenakshi Natarajan's nomination from Madhya Pradesh. Congress MP and senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi alleged that the Returning Officer's decision to reject the nomination of Natarajan is "perverse" and contrary to the provisions of the Representation of the People Act, as the criminal matter against the Congress candidate has not even reached the stage of cognisance.

Supreme Court to Hear Plea

The Supreme Court has also agreed to hear tomorrow Congress leader Meenakshi Natarajan's plea challenging the rejection of her Rajya Sabha nomination papers. Senior Advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi today mentioned the matter before a bench of Justices PK Mishra and Atul S. Chandurkar, describing it as a genuinely urgent case and seeking either an early listing or a one-line interim order. Taking note of the submissions, the Supreme Court listed the matter for hearing on June 12. (ANI)

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)