The Orissa High Court on Monday deferred hearing on the two listed petitions challenging the 2014 election of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik from the Hinjili constituency of Ganjam district for allegedly submitting sworn affidavits to the Election Commission of India (ECI) showing alleged discrepancies in his election expenses.
While the petition filed by social activist Subash Mohapatra, in which the High Court has already issued notice to the ECI, was adjourned to be heard again on September 6, the petition filed by BJP leader Debananda Mohapatra will be taken up for hearing on August 10. Debananda had unsuccessfully contested the elections from Hinjili.
During the course of the hearing, senior advocate of Delhi High Court Amit Sharma, engaged by the ECI, requested the court for some time to be able to reply to the petition filed by Subash Mohapatra. Similarly, senior advocate of Orissa High Court Ashok Parija, appearing for the BJD, submitted that he should be given a chance to respond to both petitions.
In view of such turn of events, Justice SK Mishra adjourned the hearing on both petitions and fixed separate dates for their hearings.
Meanwhile, the BJP on Monday said the BJD attempted a lot to quash the ‘false’ poll spending affidavit of Naveen Patnaik but failed in doing so.
‘A ruling party MP (Pinaki Misra) had claimed that the case of poll spending affidavit is worth a piece of paper to be put in the dustbin. However, the High Court conducted a hearing in the case today and fixed another hearing date. It indicates that the complaint is not baseless,” pointed out BJP State vice-president Sameer Mohanty at a Press meet here.
Speaking on the case filed by BJP’s failed candidate Debananda Mohapatra, Mohanty said the fixing of August 10 for next hearing by the court has proved the importance of Mohaptra’s plea. “The Chief Minister is not clean at all. He is using the Government machinery for his and his party’s protection,” alleged Mohanty.
He said when the ‘false’ affidavit would be proved, Patnaik’s Assembly membership would be cancelled and he would be debarred from participating in elections for three years.