Election Of BJP MP Held Null & Void For Hiding True Details In Affidavit

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• The elections held in Wangkhei, Manipur was held null and void recently by Manipur High Court due to non-disclosure of true details in the affidavit by a BJP MP who had won the elections.
• The petition was filed by Yumkham Erabot Singh another BJP leader in Manipur who stood 2nd in the election.
• The judgement was passed by a single judge bench of Manipur High Court Justice MV Muralidaran.

BACKGROUND DETAILS

• The BJP MP in question is a 32-year-old politician, Okram Henry who had contested the election on BJP's ticket and had recently won the elections in Wangkhei, Manipur.
• Before shifting to BJP in 2020, Okram Henry had contested elections on a congress ticket back in 2017 and won elections by a margin of 4,336 votes defeating Erabot.
• When he shifted to BJP he was made a Minister in the Department of Social Welfare.

FURTHER DETAILS

• It was cited by Erabot in his petition that Okram Henry did not disclose proper details relating to his spouse and other family members, criminal records and his true educational qualification in the affidavit filed by him. But still, the nomination paper was accepted improperly by the returning officer.
• It was asserted in the petition that with regards to educational qualifications previously in 2012 while filling affidavit for contesting elections he mentioned that his highest qualification as B.A from Punjab University but in 2017 elections he mentioned in his affidavit his highest educational qualification as 12th grade from Manipur Public School.
• Also, he did not mention his past and current criminal records relating to a drug case and criminal cases pending before the courts. It was further stated that a case is pending before the CJM in Imphal West for duping a company and non-payment of money and further a criminal case of cheque bounce matter was also filed against him by the same company.
• Not only this but a trail case under the NDPS Act is ongoing against Okram Henry who was caught and charged for transportation of illegal contraband drugs before a special court.

CURRENT SCENARIO

• In such a case the court felt that the election of the respondent is liable to be held as null and void.
• In its decision the court pronounced that the BJP MP Okram Henry is disqualified as MLA and declared Erabot Singh who secured 2nd position in elections as the new MLA of Wangkhei.
• It was reported that after the court's ruling Henry Okram had a meeting with Manipur speaker Yumnam Khemchand and shall file an appeal in the Supreme Court soon.

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