India News | SDF Distances Itself from Withdrawal of Petition Against SKM Chief

Gangtok, Nov 27 (PTI) The opposition Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) on Wednesday distanced itself from the withdrawal of petitions from the Supreme Court, challenging the reduction of SKM president Prem Singh Tamang's disqualification period by the EC from six years to one year in 2019.

The reduction of the disqualification period by almost five years helped Tamang contest the polls that year and become an elected chief minister of the Himalayan state months after his party, Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM), dethroned the SDF. The SKM stormed back to power in Sikkim earlier this year.

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Two SDF leaders had filed a writ petition before the Supreme Court challenging the EC's decision to reduce the disqualification period. The petitioners recently urged the top court to withdraw the case and the prayer was granted on Tuesday.

"It is to inform all concerned that the petitions have been withdrawn by the petitioners in their personal capacity," SDF vice-president (Administrative and Legal Affairs) Dev Gurung said in a statement.

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One of the petitioners, Bimal Dawari Sharma, has resigned from the party and is no longer an SDF member, while J B Darnal, who is SDF vice president, filed an application for withdrawal of the petition without consulting the party, he said.

Gurung said that the party had neither passed a resolution for withdrawing the said petition nor given any authorisation to Darnal to withdraw the case.

"The SDF Party is unaware of his application for withdrawal which he did completely in his personal capacity," Gurung said, adding that the SDF leadership is examining the issue seriously and appropriate action will be taken against Darna for "anti-party activity".

Another petition in this regard, however, is still pending in the apex court.

The EC in September 2019 reduced Tamang's disqualification period by almost five years under a provision of the electoral law, paving the way for him to contest the state assembly elections.

His disqualification period of six years, during which he was barred from contesting polls, began on August 10, 2018 -- the day he completed a year's jail term in a corruption case. It was to end on August 10, 2024.

However, the Election Commission (EC) reduced it to one year and one month.

Tamang, whose Sikkim Krantikari Morcha party won the state assembly elections held in April, took over as chief minister on May 27. However, he could not contest the elections due to his disqualification.

SKM leaders could not be reached for their comments on this matter.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)