ED turns down Bhujbal's plea to vote in Prez poll
Court asked Saxena whether he wanted to withdraw the application to which Saxena sought time to take instructions from his client.
Mumbai: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday opposed former PWD minister Chhagan Bhujbal’s application seeking permission to cast his vote in the upcoming presidential elections. Bhujal’s lawyer, Shalabh Saxena, said he would seek his client’s instructions regarding withdrawal of application and the subsequent move to Bombay high court seeking permission to cast vote in the legislative assembly.
While opposing the application, ED counsel Hiten Venegaonkar argued, “The Special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court has no jurisdiction to pass orders on constitutional rights”. He said that the court cannot direct the election commission to make any special provision for prisoners.
Venegaonkar further said, “The issue whether section 62(5) of the Representation of People Act (no person shall vote at any election if he is confined in a prison) can be applied to presidential elections is sub-judice before the Supreme Court. Therefore, this court should not pass any orders.”
Later, the court asked Saxena whether he wanted to withdraw the application to which Saxena sought time to take instructions from his client. The application stated, “Each vote by a MLA in Maharashtra is equivalent to 175 votes” in the electoral college which may make a difference if there is a close contest.