Mohanlalganj MP granted time till Mar 17 to file reply to plea against him

The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad high court has given time till March 17 as a last opportunity to Mohanlalganj MP RK Chaudhary to file his reply (written statement) to a petition challenging his election on a Samajwadi Party ticket in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

Justice Jaspreet Singh passed the order recently on the petition filed by one Gyani, an elector from the said constituency. The petitioner’s counsel had submitted that the respondent had violated the provisions of Section 123(3) of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 during the election process.

Chaudhary had sought votes on the basis of cast, community and religion, he alleged. Hence, his election was liable to be set aside, the petitioner’s counsel requested the court. The court had issued the notice to Chaudhary on September 24, 2024. Thereafter, his counsel appeared and sought four weeks’ time to file written statement to the plea, which was granted by the court.

The court also provided a week’s time thereafter to the petitioner to file his response and listed the plea for January 8, 2025 for framing of issues in the matter. On February 14, 2025, Chaudhary’s counsel Krishan Kanhaya Pal sought more time to file the written statement.

“Considering that it is an election petition, this Court as a matter of last opportunity grants time to file written statement till the next date of listing with advance copy to the counsel for the petitioner,” the court ordered and listed the matter for March 17.