The Bombay High Court on Monday issued summons to Ravindra Waikar of Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena on an election petition by Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Amol Kirtikar, seeking the cancellation of Waikar’s victory in the Mumbai North West Lok Sabha constituency.
A single-judge bench of Justice Sandeep V Marne issued a writ of summons to Waikar and other respondents to appear before the court on September 2 to answer the claim made by Kirtikar in his plea. “Issue writ of summons to respondents returnable on September 2, 2024,” the bench said.
Kirtikar, who lost by a margin of 48 votes to Waikar, has alleged a lack of transparency and lapses by the officials of the Election Commission of India (ECI) claiming he was not permitted to file an application for recounting of votes. He also alleged that ECI officials allowed the use of mobile phones inside the counting area and let impersonators cast 333 votes.
In his plea, Kirtikar also submitted his counting agents were not permitted to sit at the Returning Officer’s table, despite it being a statutory requirement. He added Forms 17-C (Part II) (record of votes polled) were not given in any of the 563 polling booths of two Assembly segments, including Jogeshwari and Versova, and 276 polling booths of another Assembly segment of Goregaon.
“No reasonable opportunity given to make an application requesting a recount of votes and turning down the written request subsequently made,” the plea claimed.
Kirtikar has sought direction from the court to declare Waikar’s election as void and declare the petitioner as duly elected to the 18th Lok Sabha, elections to which were held in April and June this year.
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