
The Nagpur Bench of the Bombay High Court on Wednesday refused to grant interim relief to former Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) MLC Viplav Bajoria, whose nomination for the Amravati Local Authorities Constituency election to the Maharashtra Legislative Council was... The Nagpur Bench of the Bombay High Court on Wednesday refused to grant interim relief to former Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) MLC Viplav Bajoria, whose nomination for the Amravati Local Authorities Constituency election to the Maharashtra Legislative Council was rejected during scrutiny on June 2. Bajoria had moved the High Court challenging the Returning Officer’s decision and sought permission to contest the election pending final adjudication of his petition. However, after hearing the matter for over one and a half hours, Justice Prafulla Khubalkar declined to grant interim relief. Also Read | Seat sharing deals are done but alliance parties yet to declare all candidates Appearing for the State, Government Pleader and Senior Advocate Devendra Chauhan opposed the plea. After considering the submissions and preliminary objections raised on behalf of the Returning Officer and Collector, the vacation court held that it could not, at this stage, permit Bajoria to contest the election. The court has issued notices to the Returning Officer and the candidates who had objected to Bajoria’s nomination, directing them to file their replies within three weeks. A detailed order is awaited. Bajoria’s nomination was challenged during scrutiny by BJP led Mahayuti candidate Pravin Pote, Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi candidate Nilesh Vishwakarma, and Maha Vikas Aghadi backed candidates Prashant Mahalle and Harshjit Deshmukh. The objectors argued that the affidavit detailing Bajoria’s assets was incomplete and had not been submitted in the prescribed format. Written objections, supported by legal opinions, were submitted before Returning Officer and Collector Ashish Yerekar. Following a hearing on June 2, the Returning Officer ruled later that night that Bajoria’s nomination was invalid, citing his failure to submit the affidavit in the prescribed format. The controversy deepened after the rejection. Bajoria and his father, former MLA Gopikishan Bajoria, visited the Collector’s office seeking a copy of the Returning Officer’s order. The district administration later alleged that they argued with officials, used objectionable language and obstructed government work. Based on a complaint lodged by Resident Deputy Collector Santosh Kakade at Gadgenagar police station, a criminal case was registered against the father and son along with several others. The Nagpur Bench of the Bombay High Court on Wednesday refused to grant interim relief to former Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) MLC Viplav Bajoria, whose nomination for the Amravati...