New Delhi: Two different benches of Delhi High Court on Wednesday heard petitions challenging the election of PWD minister Parvesh Verma and former chief minister Atishi.
Justice Jasmeet Singh issued a notice to Verma in response to a plea challenging his election from New Delhi constituency in the 2025 assembly polls. It also sought the stand of Election Commission of India (ECI) and 23 other candidates, including AAP’s Arvind Kejriwal and Congress’ Sandeep Dikshit, on a plea filed by one Vishvanath Agarwal, who alleged that he was not allowed to file his nomination to participate in the election process.
The court will next hear on May 27 the plea, which seeks a direction to declare the election for the constituency null and void and also requests ECI to conduct fresh elections for the seat.
The petitioner claimed that despite reaching the returning officer’s office before 3pm on Jan 17 with all the requisite documents, he was not allowed to submit his nomination form, necessary to participate in the elections.
Verma secured 30,088 votes in the election, defeating Kejriwal by a margin of 4,089 votes.
In separate proceedings, Justice Jyoti Singh issued notice to AAP functionary Atishi on a plea challenging her election on grounds of alleged corrupt practices during the recent assembly polls. The high court also issued notice to ECI, Delhi Police and the returning officer of Kalkaji assembly constituency, from where she won the election, and listed the matter for July 30.
It further directed the EC returning officer and Delhi Police to preserve the records relating to the elections held in Feb while hearing a plea by Kamaljit Singh Duggal and Ayush Rana, residents of Kalkaji, who challenged the election of Atishi, claiming that she and her election agents used corrupt practices during the polls.
Filed through advocate T Singhdev, the plea alleged that a day prior to polling, Atishi’s close associates were caught with Rs 5 lakh in cash in the constituency. The plea claims that the money was meant to bribe the voters. Atishi won the elections.
