Live
- Concerns Over NASA Astronaut Sunita Williams' Health After Recent Photos Show Significant Weight Loss
- Chandrababu holds meeting with ministers, discusses on SC Classification
- National anti-terror policy, strategy to be unveiled soon: HM Shah
- Donald Trump Effect: Gold Prices Drop Sharply in a Single Day
- Australian govt to ban social media access for children younger than 16
- ED conducts raids on multiple sellers linked to e-com players including Amazon, Flipkart
- India A vs Australia A: Contrasting outings for KL Rahul and Dhruv Jurel at Melbourne
- Lakshya and Ananya Panday Pair Up in Dharma Productions' Next Big Film
- After political furore, BJP leader withdraws slur on Sharad Pawar
- Kerala Cong cries foul over police raid on hotel rooms of women leaders, moves ECI
IUML MLA disqualified for violating election code, gets breather
KM Shaji, an MLA from the Congressled UDFs IUML, was disqualified on Friday by the Kerala High Court for making communal overtures in his election campaign but got a twoweek stay on the verdict from the same court later
Kochi: K.M. Shaji, an MLA from the Congress-led UDF's IUML, was disqualified on Friday by the Kerala High Court for making communal overtures in his election campaign but got a two-week stay on the verdict from the same court later.
Justice P.D. Rajan declared Shaji ineligible to contest an election for six years. But when the politician filed a fresh petition to stay the verdict for a month as he needed time to approach the Supreme Court, the court granted him two weeks stay.
Justice Rajan delivered the earlier verdict on a petition filed by journalist-turned-CPI-M candidate M.V. Nikesh Kumar, who finished second in the election. He also heard the new petition and stayed the verdict.
While Kumar's counsel argued that Shaji should not get the benefits of a legislator as he had been disqualified, the court posted the case for further hearing for Tuesday.
Shaji retained the Azhikode constituency in Kannur district in a bitterly fought battle by a margin of 2,462 votes. The Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) is the second biggest constituent in the UDF.
The court had earlier asked Shaji to pay Rs 50,000 as cost to the petitioner but did not declare Kumar the winner from Azhikode. It instead sought for a fresh election.
Even as the court stayed the verdict for two weeks, it asked Shaji to deposit the money in the court within a week.
Shaji told the media that his disqualification was a big blot to his secular credentials.
"I am deeply pained that the court has termed me communal, which I never am. I was one who boldly told on the eve of polling day that I do not want a single vote from communal parties. Once I reach Kochi, I will decide the legal steps I will be taking," he said.
Kumar said he saw the verdict as a political victory.
