Justice Sanjay Kumar Mishra of the Orissa High Court, who was adjudicating two petitions seeking disqualification of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik as an MlA for allegedly filing incorrect affidavits after the 2014 elections, on Wednesday recused himself from hearing the cases further.
As the cases were listed for hearing on the day, Justice Mishra withdrew himself from participating in the case and requested the Chief Justice to allot the cases to another Bench.
It was not immediately ascertained as to why Justice Mishra recused himself from hearing the cases. Sources said this could be due to the fact that one of the petitioners, Subash M ohaptra, in the meantime, has approached the Supreme Court seeking to transfer his case to the Delhi High Court.
Apprehending that he may not get justice from the Orissa High Court, social activist Mohapatra had approached the Supreme Court last month and the SC, after admitting the petition, has issued notices to Patnaik and the Election Commissioner of India.
On the other hand, BJP leader Devananda Mahapatra, who has not made any such plea in the Supreme Court seeking to transfer his case, on the day, urged the High Court to adjudicate his petition as was done before.
Both the petitioners have alleged gross discrepancies in the statements of account and expense the BJD supremo incurred during the May 2014 elections while contesting from the Hinjili Assembly constituency in Ganjam district.