Delhi HC defers former MLA's plea till July 14
Bhopal, May 26
Former Congress MLA Rajendra Bharti suffered a setback on Tuesday after the Delhi High Court deferred the hearing in his bank fraud conviction case till July 14, further reducing his chances of getting relief before the Datia Assembly by-election.
Bharti had approached the High Court against the three-year jail sentence awarded to him by a Delhi MP-MLA court in a bank fraud case.
The matter was listed before Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma on Tuesday, but the hearing could not proceed due to a lack of time, as the court was occupied with priority matters.
This is the third time the hearing has been postponed.
Following his conviction on April 2, Bharti lost his membership of the Madhya Pradesh Assembly under provisions of the Representation of the People Act, which disqualifies lawmakers sentenced to two years or more in prison.
After his disqualification, the Assembly Secretariat declared the Datia seat vacant and informed the Election Commission.
The Datia district administration has reportedly sent a report to the Election Commission stating that arrangements for conducting the bypoll are ready.
Meanwhile, political circles believe the Election Commission may announce the by-election schedule at any time.
Bharti was a key Congress face in the Gwalior-Chambal region and had won the Datia seat in 2023.
He had defeated senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and former state Home Minister Narottam Mishra, who had won this seat thrice.
The Datia by-election is expected to witness a direct contest between the ruling BJP and the Congress, making it an important political battle in the Gwalior-Chambal region of Madhya Pradesh.
Both parties have already started groundwork in the constituency.
With the July 14 date set by the High Court, Bharti's legal options before the bypoll appear limited.
If the Election Commission notifies the election before that, the Congress will have to contest without him.
— IANS
Reader Comments
What a shame! Rajendra Bharti defeated Narottam Mishra who was sitting MLA for so many terms. Now this conviction seems politically motivated. But courts are independent, so let's see what happens. BJP will definitely try to take advantage of this.
This is just typical Indian politics - defers, delays, and more delays. Three hearings postponed? Come on, if he's guilty, punish him quickly. If not, give him relief. The common man suffers while politicians get multiple chances. Meanwhile, the bypoll will go on without him. Datia deserves better.
Bank fraud conviction? Three years jail? This is serious. Congress should have fielded a cleaner candidate. But then again, look at both parties - it's like choosing between thieves. At least the system works sometimes. Datia bypoll is going to be interesting now without their star candidate.
Justice delayed is justice denied - but here it's helping the accused stay in politics longer. The Representation of People Act clearly says 2+ years conviction = disqualification. Why do courts take so long? By July 14, the election might already be announced. Congress should start looking for another candidate ASAP.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.