Poll petition against Odisha MLA: HC asks EC to submit report in 3 months

Cuttack: The Orissa High Court today asked the Election Commission of India (ECI) to conduct a probe and submit report within three months in connection with the poll petition filed against Polasara MLA Srikant Sahu.

A writ petition was filed in the High Court against the MLA by a voter of the Assembly Constituency in February, last year challenging inaction of ECI into the alleged filing of false affidavit by Sahu.

Rohit Pradhan, the petitioner, had submitted a petition to ECI alleging that Sahu had submitted a false and incorrect affidavit declaring his educational qualification as Matriculation in nomination papers. However, headmaster of Hatiota High School in response to an RTI application had replied that Srikant Sahu had not passed Matriculation, the petition alleged.

Pradhan moved the High Court seeking direction to the ECI to inquire into the alleged filing of false and incorrect affidavit by Sahu within a stipulated time. The petitioner has also sought declaration of Sahu’s election to Polasara Assembly Constituency as null and void.