The Supreme Court on Friday dismissed a writ petition filed by Congress leader Meenakshi Natarajan challenging the rejection of her nomination for the Rajya Sabha elections from Madhya Pradesh.
A bench comprising Justices Prashant Kumar Mishra and A.S. Chandurkar declined to interfere with the decision of the Returning Officer, who had rejected Natarajan’s nomination on the grounds of alleged non-disclosure of a criminal case registered in Telangana.
During the hearing, the court observed that the law provides a specific statutory remedy for candidates aggrieved by the rejection of their nomination papers. The bench noted that once a Returning Officer rejects a nomination, the appropriate course of action is to approach the Election Commission of India.
Refusing to grant any relief to the Congress leader, the apex court held that it was not inclined to exercise its writ jurisdiction in the matter. The judges emphasized that the Election Commission is the competent authority to examine such grievances arising out of the nomination process.
The court, however, left it open for Natarajan to pursue the remedy available under the election laws and approach the poll panel for redressal.
The development comes amid the ongoing Rajya Sabha election process, with scrutiny of nomination papers playing a crucial role in determining the eligibility of candidates contesting for seats in the Upper House of Parliament.
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