Today(14th August),The Delhi High Court has issued a notice to BJP MP Bansuri Swaraj in response to AAP leader Somnath Bharti’s petition challenging her Lok Sabha election on allegations of corrupt practices.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!
NEW DELHI: Today(14th August), the Delhi High Court has taken a critical step by issuing a notice to BJP MP Bansuri Swaraj. This action comes in response to a petition filed by AAP leader Somnath Bharti, which challenges Swaraj’s election victory to the Lok Sabha, citing allegations of corrupt practices.
Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora of the Delhi High Court directed Swaraj to respond to the allegations within 30 days. The petition accuses Swaraj and her associates of engaging in activities during the election process that may constitute corrupt practices under the Representation of the People Act. Specifically, Sections 80 and 81 of the act were cited, highlighting a serious challenge to the integrity of the electoral process.
Details of the Election Contest
The contest for the New Delhi Lok Sabha seat was a closely watched battle, with both Bharti and Swaraj as the main contenders. The final vote count revealed Bharti secured 3,74,815 votes while Swaraj polled a higher 4,53,185 votes. The petition further elaborates on the strategies used during the campaign, which Bharti alleges were designed to improperly influence voters.
Allegations of Vote Splitting and Improper Influence
A notable aspect of the petition is the role of Raaj Kumar Anand, a former AAP minister who contested the 2024 Sabha polls on a Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) ticket. The plea alleges that Anand’s participation was strategically planned to dilute AAP’s vote share, ultimately benefiting Swaraj.
“It noted that Anand, a minister in the Aam Aadmi Party government in Delhi, actively campaigned for Bharti until April 9, before abruptly resigning from the party on April 10.”
– the document details.
Additionally, on July 10, Anand shifted his allegiance to the BJP, further complicating the political dynamics.
Incidents on Election Day
The petitioner, Bharti, expressed shock at the activities he witnessed on election day, which are now part of the legal challenge.
“On election day, the petitioner was shocked to find that Swaraj’s polling agents were distributing pamphlets with her ballot number, photo, election symbol, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s photograph, urging voters to vote for ballot no. 1.”
– the plea claimed.
This action, according to the petition, clearly crosses the line into corrupt practices as defined by election laws. Bharti reported these incidents to the returning officer, but alleges that no effective action was taken.