Delhi HC dismisses Narottam Mishra's plea to vote for presidential polls

The Delhi High Court on Friday dismissed disqualified Madhya Pradesh Minister Narottam Mishra's plea to vote in the presidential polls scheduled for July 17.

"I respect the judgment. For justice, if I have to go to the Supreme Court, I will go. I am consulting with the legal authorities regarding this. We will see what can be done legally," Mishra told ANI.

The plea challenged the Election Commission of India's order where Mishra was found guilty of paid news. The EC had charged and disqualified the MLA for three years for the same.

Mishra, who was disqualified by the EC for filing wrong accounts of his election-related expenditure, had challenged the order in the High Court.

"Whether I will remain a member or not, that probably has not been mentioned. I also haven't got the order yet. I will go to the high court," Mishra told ANI.

Mishra had been disqualified from contesting for three years. The Election Commission's decision was taken based on a complaint lodged by former Congress MLA Rajendra Bharti in April 2009, alleging that Mishra hadn't filed certain details in his election expenditure during the 2008 assembly elections.

Mishra challenged the notice in the high court bench at Gwalior and managed to get a stay, in the light of former Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan's case proceeding in the top court.

The court, however, vacated the stay order after considering the facts submitted by the complainant's counsel.

Mishra then approached the Supreme Court to stall the EC's proceedings, but the apex court did not grant him any relief.

Last year, the poll panel questioned Mishra in Delhi about the allegations, whereby it was noted that he hadn't revealed his expenditure on paid news.

It should be noted that the EC has the power to disqualify a candidate if he fails to submit a clear and concise account of expenses within the designated time frame.

-ANI