SC dismisses sacked BSF trooper's plea challenging Modi's election

Prime Minister Narendra Modi

The Supreme Court on Tuesday dismissed the plea by sacked Border Security Force trooper, Tej Bahadur, challenging the election of Prime Minister Narendra Modi from Varanasi in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections

The judgment was pronounced by a bench of Chief Justice S.A. Bobde and comprising Justices A.S. Bopanna and V. Ramasubramanian.

On November 18, the Chief Justice had said the Prime Minister's Office is a "unique office", as it denied adjournment during the hearing of Tej Bahadur's plea. Tej Bahadur's counsel repeatedly sought adjournment, as he was unable to answer a specific query by the top court.

The Chief Justice had said: "This is too important a matter to be adjourned so many times. The respondent occupies a unique office. He is the PM of India."

Bahadur had moved the top court challenging an Allahabad High Court order, which had dismissed his election petition against the Prime Minister.

Earlier, the top court allowed the Centre's plea to adjourn the hearing in the matter and sought its hearing after the Diwali vacation.

Bahadur's nomination papers were rejected as the Samajwadi Party candidate in Varanasi constituency in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. Bahadur filed a special leave petition before the top court where he contended that his nomination papers were rejected by the returning officer allegedly under pressure from the BJP. He has urged the top court to set aside the rejection of his nomination papers. He was sacked from service after he released a video in 2017 complaining about the quality of food served to soldiers.

Senior advocate Harish Salve represented Modi.

(With inputs from agency)

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