New Delhi, May 15: The Supreme Court on Friday stayed the Gujarat High Court order declaring the election of minister Bhupendrasinh Chudasama to Gujarat state assembly as void on grounds of malpractice and vote manipulation. Earlier this week, Gujarat High Court termed state Education and Law Minister Chudasama's 2017 election as an MLA void. Gujarat High Court Declares BJP Minister Bhupendrasinh Chudasama's Election As Void for Manipulation of Votes.

Chudasama had moved top court by Gujarat HC order by terming it as erroneous and contended that it has failed to look that his rival Indian National Congress candidate Ashwin Rathod has not led positive, reliable and cogent proof to prove any of the issues.

ANI Tweet:

Therefore, he was not entitled to be declared as the duly elected candidate from "58- Dholakia Constituency" for the Gujarat State Assembly Elections on December 14, 2017, the minister submitted.

The HC in its decision held that the returning officer or election officer was "hand in gloves" with the Bharatiya Janata Party leader and postal ballots were rejected illegally. Rathod had challenged Chudasama's victory from Dholka assembly constituency by a margin of mere 327 votes in the 2017 Gujarat polls.

(With PTI Inputs)

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 15, 2020 01:14 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).