Shimla, Aug 23,
The Himachal Pradesh High Court on Thursday concluded the arguments on behalf of BJP Rajya Sabha MP Harsh Mahajan in an election petition filed by Congress leader and former Rajya Sabha MP Abhishek Manu Singhvi. The petition challenges the outcome of the February 27 Rajya Sabha election in Himachal Pradesh, where Singhvi narrowly lost to Mahajan.
The arguments were heard by Justice Jyotsana Rewal Dua, who also rejected Mahajan’s earlier request to postpone the hearing, citing the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections in Telangana on September 3. Mahajan’s counsel argued for the rejection of Singhvi’s petition, which disputes the election result based on an alleged unfair tie-breaking procedure.
During the February 27 election, despite Congress holding a majority of 40 MLAs, the contest between Singhvi and Mahajan ended in a tie, with each receiving 34 votes. The tie was resolved by a lottery system, which declared Mahajan the winner. Singhvi’s petition challenges the legitimacy of this tie-breaking method, asserting it was improperly applied.
Mahajan had requested the postponement of the hearing, arguing that Singhvi’s participation in the Telangana Rajya Sabha election could impact the ongoing case. However, the court dismissed this request and proceeded with the arguments. The court is set to hear further arguments in the case tomorrow at 3 p.m.
The outcome of this petition could have significant implications for the political landscape, particularly regarding the validity of election procedures in closely contested races.
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