The Odisha High Court on Monday directed BJD leader and former Cabinet Minister Rabi Narayan Nanda to pay cost of Rs 5,000 for filing an amended petition to his original election petition after the stipulated deadline.
Nanda, who had lost to Congress’ Tara Prasad Bahinipati in the Assembly elections from Jeypore in April this year, has challenged the MlA Bahinipati in an election petition in July. But after the respondents were issued notices, Nanda seeking to alter his original petition had filed an amended petition.
Since the amended petition was filed beyond the stipulated 45 days, the single-judge Bench of Justice Biswanath Rath rejected the amended petition and directed the petitioner to pay the cost.