The fates of election-related petitions pending in the Odisha High Court are unlikely to be decided soon as the MlAs, including Ministers, whose elections are challenged, are not only responding to the notices of the High Court during stipulated time but seeking more time to do so.
While as many as eight MlAs had earlier failed to respond to the HC notice in time, a minister and two more MlAs were on Thursday did so and were given additional three weeks time each to file their replies to the petitions made by their respective rival political leaders.
Brahmagiri MlA and Minister Sanjay Dasburma, who was asked on July 25 to file his reply to the petition of his Congress rival lalatendu Bidyadhar Mohapatra, on Thursday failed to meet the HC deadline and instead sought eight more weeks to do so.
Justice Shatrughna Pujahari, however, was reluctant to allow the time petition of the Minister and gave only three more weeks to file the replies and posted the matter to be heard again on September 18.
Justice Pujahari also gave similar relief to laxmipur Congress MlA KC Kulesika and Soro BJD MlA Parshuram Dhada posting the petitions filed by their opponents to be taken up next month.
While BJD leader Hema Gamang, wife of former Congress Chief Minister Giridhar Gamang, has challenged the election of Kuleselia, Congress and BJP leaders of Soro have challenged the election of Dhada.
Similarly, in the Nabarangpur lok Sabha constituency, BJD MP Balabhadra Majhi was given the same relief by the High Court in the election petition filed by his Congress rival Pradeep Majhi.