The Supreme Court on Thursday asked Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to respond to a petition for the annulment of his 2014 election to the Assembly for non-disclosure in his affidavit of two criminal cases pending against him.
A Bench, led by Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi, passed the order on an appeal by Satish Ukey, who said Mr. Fadnavis did not disclose the information as required under the election law. The cases pertain to cheating and forgery charges. The petition said the non-disclosure violated Section 125A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951.
The Bombay High Court had set aside the sessions court’s decision to entertain Mr. Ukey’s case. The court had said failure to furnish information on a pending criminal case in which cognisance was taken and no charge was framed did not amount to commission of any offence under Section 125A.
