New Delhi, 12 June (H.S.):

In a setback for senior Congress leader Meenakshi Natarajan, the Supreme Court on Friday dismissed her plea challenging the rejection of her nomination for the Rajya Sabha elections from Madhya Pradesh, ruling that the appropriate remedy in such matters lies before the Election Commission and through the election law framework.

A bench comprising Justices P. K. Mishra and A. S. Chandurkar declined to intervene at this stage of the electoral process. During the hearing, the court observed that even if a Returning Officer's decision were alleged to be erroneous, judicial intervention at the nomination stage is generally not warranted and that election-related disputes are ordinarily addressed through mechanisms provided under election laws.

Natarajan had approached the apex court after her nomination papers for the Rajya Sabha election were rejected by the Returning Officer in Madhya Pradesh. The rejection stemmed from allegations that she had failed to disclose details of a pending legal matter in Form 26, the affidavit that candidates are required to submit along with their nomination papers.

Appearing on her behalf, senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi argued that the case in question did not require disclosure under the applicable rules. He contended that only criminal cases involving offences carrying a minimum punishment threshold are required to be declared and maintained that Natarajan's affidavit was not incomplete.

Election authorities, however, took a different view. According to the Returning Officer's order, scrutiny of the nomination documents revealed that information relating to a court complaint had not been included in the affidavit submitted by the Congress leader. The omission was deemed significant enough to warrant rejection of the nomination.

The controversy gained momentum after objections were raised by rival candidates during the scrutiny process. Election officials subsequently examined the documents and upheld the challenge, resulting in Natarajan's nomination being declared invalid.

The rejection had major political implications in Madhya Pradesh, where three Rajya Sabha seats were being filled. With Natarajan out of the contest, all three seats were ultimately secured by candidates of the ruling party.

A prominent Congress figure and former Member of Parliament, Meenakshi Natarajan has long been associated with organisational and parliamentary responsibilities within the party. The court's decision marks the latest development in a dispute that has attracted considerable political attention ahead of the Rajya Sabha elections.

While the Supreme Court declined to grant immediate relief on Friday, the ruling leaves open the possibility of pursuing remedies through the election process and other legal avenues prescribed under electoral law.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar