MP HC nullifies Cong MLA's election for not disclosing criminal cases, declares BJP runner-up elected

Gwalior, Mar 9 (PTI) The Madhya Pradesh High Court on Monday declared the election of Congress MLA, Mukesh Malhotra, from Vijaypur constituency as "null and void" for not disclosing pending criminal cases during the 2024 bypoll.

The Gwalior bench declared BJP candidate Ramniwas Rawat, who had secured the second-highest number of votes, as "elected MLA" from the seat.

The single bench of Justice GS Ahluwalia has declared the election of Congress MLA Mukesh Malhotra from the Vijaypur assembly constituency in Sheopur district as "null and void" and declared the second-placed BJP candidate, Ramniwas Rawat, as the MLA, the order stated.

The bypoll was won by Malhotra with a margin of 7,364 votes.

Malhotra had concealed pending criminal cases against him in his affidavit submitted at the time of his nomination, leading to the annulment of his election.

"Justice GS Ahluwalia has annulled the election of MLA Mukesh Malhotra and declared BJP's Ramniwas Rawat as the MLA from Vijaypur in his place, as he had finished second," said Rawat's advocate, MPS Raghuvanshi.

He said the Election Commission will be informed about the decision.

"The Supreme Court has repeatedly stated that whenever an MLA or MP contests an election, they must submit an affidavit disclosing criminal cases against them," Raghuvanshi added.

Rawat told reporters that Malhotra had concealed the information about the pending criminal cases.

Before the elections, Malhotra was in the BJP, while Rawat was a member of Congress. PTI COR MAS NSK