Naik moves HC challenging Sena MLA’s election

MUMBAI, NOV 18: Former minister in the Shiv Sena-Bharatiya Janata Party Government Ganesh Naik on Friday filed a petition in the Bombay High Court challenging the election of Shiv Sena Member of the Legislative Assembly Sitaram Bhoir who was elected from Belapur Asembly constituency, on the grounds that certain alleged malpractises and irregularities took place during the counting process of the ballot papers.

Ganesh Naik in his petition alleged that the names of 97,000 voters were deleted from the electoral list without reason and rules were not followed. He has submitted that he was defeated by Bhoir by a narrow margin of 2,787 votes and despite his request for recounting, it did not take place. He prayed to the court for a direction on recounting ballot papers.

Nail also says in the petition that returning officer B B Thackre, at the behest of former chief minister Narayan Rane, acted in a biased manner against him. Naik was sacked as minister of State after refusing to resign from the BJP-Shiv Sena Government. He contested the election after forming a new party and aligning with the Sharad Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party. The petition will come up for hearing next week.