Congress leader Hardik Patel barred from contesting 2019 polls after Gujarat HC order
In a major setback for the activist turned politician Hardik Patel, who recently joined the Congress party, the Gujarat High Court has declined his plea seeking a stay on his conviction in 2015 case for inciting violence.
After the Gujarat High Court’s order, Hardik Patel will not be able to contest the Lok Sabha election of 2019.
Gujarat High court rejects Congress leader Hardik Patel's plea seeking suspension of his conviction in a rioting case of 2015 in Mehsana. As per the Representation of the People Act, 1951, Hardik Patel won't be able to contest the upcoming Lok Sabha Election due to his conviction pic.twitter.com/qmiuGwHMa3
— ANI (@ANI) March 29, 2019
News Agency ANI tweeted, “Gujarat High court rejects Congress leader Hardik Patel's plea seeking suspension of his conviction in a rioting case of 2015 in Mehsana. As per the Representation of the People Act, 1951, Hardik Patel won't be able to contest the upcoming Lok Sabha Election due to his conviction.”
In the Visnagar rioting case, a rally was organised on July 22, 2015, wherein the Patidar community was on road demanding reservation in jobs and education and a two-year long agitation ended with the mob overtaking the office of BJP MLA Rishikesh Patel.
The Visnagar court had then held three people guilty, including Hardik Patel, of rioting on July 25, 2018.
Earlier, Hardik Patel had served nine months jail in two sedition cases filed against him. He was in Surat’s Lajpore jail for nine months and thereafter six months in exile, after the Gujarat High Court had barred from entering the state.
After the Gujarat High Court’s stay on his candidature, as per the Representation of People’s Act, 1951, Hardik Patel has time until 4 April to move to Supreme Court against the verdict as the nominations fro Gujarat polls is on April 4.
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First published: 29 March 2019, 16:31 IST