Hardik Patel’s election plans jolted as HC refuses to stay his conviction in rioting case
Hardik cannot contest elections if the court doesn’t stay his conviction
Ahmedabad: In a setback to Congress and its leader Hardik Patel, the Gujrat High Court on Friday refused to stay the conviction of Hardik, chopping down his hopes of contesting the Lok Sabha elections.
Hardik was in 2018 convicted in a rioting case and the court had ordered two year imprisonment for him along with two others. The case of rioting dates back to 2015 during the Patidar protest for reservation.
Hardik filed an appeal in the high court. During the hearing, the high court had suspended the sentence of two years but didn't deal with suspending and staying the conviction.
The last date for filing nomination is April 4 in Gujarat which goes for the polls in the third phase. His lawyers said that they will be approaching the Supreme Court on Monday with an urgent plea.
He, in petition to Gujrat High Court had stated that "if the order of conviction is not stayed and suspended, then the appellant will suffer irreparable loss and he being the person of public life, social activist and leader of the community, his goal to serve the society at large by becoming Member of Parliament will ruin." It adds further that he has "all the chances to win the election and serve the society as the Member of Parliament”
The state government had strongly opposed his plea while arguing that a "lawbreaker" should not become a "lawmaker." The state government cited 17 FIRs against Hardik to prove that he has a criminal antecedent.
As per provisions of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, a person sentenced in a criminal case needs to get stay on conviction and sentence both before contesting polls.
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Abhigyan Kundu hits 209 not out for first-ever double ton in Youth ODIs for India
Dubai (PTI): Wicketkeeper-batter Abhigyan Kundu on Tuesday created history with first-ever double ton in Youth ODIs for India, scoring an unbeaten against Malaysia in the U-19 Asia Cup match here.
The 17-year-old Kundu thus recorded only the second instance of a double century in Youth ODIs after South Africa's Jorich Van Schalkwyk, who had scored 215 off 153 balls against Zimbabwe earlier this year in Harare.
Batting at No 5, the left-handed Kundu hit an overall 19 fours and seven sixes to smash 209 not out off only 125 balls.
His knock powered India U-19 to a huge 408 for seven batting first.
Earlier in the same tournament, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi had scored a 95-ball 171 against the UAE, which is overall the ninth highest individual score in the format.
