HC to hear Ashok Chavan's plea against EC order from 25 August

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court has decided to hear, on a regular basis from 25 August, former Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan’s plea against the Election Commission’s show cause notice to him for allegedly not filing correct poll expenses.

Justice Suresh Kait listed the matter for regular hearing in view of the Supreme Court’s 13 August order directing the high court to dispose of the matter within 15 days.

“In view of the Supreme Court’s order of 13 August, 2014, list the matter for regular hearing from 25 August,” said the court, which had earlier listed the matter for hearing on 5 November.

The apex court’s order was placed before the high court by advocates appearing on behalf of Chavan as well as the complainants on whose complaint the poll panel had issued the show cause notice.

The Supreme Court had passed the order while refusing to interfere with the high court’s 28 July decision staying the the show cause notice issued to Chavan on 13 July.

In its show cause notice, the poll panel had asked Chavan why he should not be disqualified for failing to give his true and correct expenses incurred in last Assembly polls.

The apex court had said it was not in favour of the matter dragging and wanted that the high court should decide the question of law.

Madhavrao Kinhalkar, who had filed the complaint against Chavan in the commission, had submitted before the apex court that “prima facie the high court has not given reasons for staying the EC order”.

His counsel had also submitted that it was not appropriate on the part of the high court to entertain Chavan’s petition as the apex court had granted 45 days to the high court to examine the issues.

PTI