New Delhi: Chief Minister Prithviraj
Chavan will be contesting the bye-election for a legislative council seat in Maharashtra on May 4.
Congress President Sonia Gandhi today approved his
candidature for the seat, paving the way for him to get
elected to the legislature as per constitutional requirements.
At present, he is not a member of either of the two
Houses of the state legislature.
The seat fell vacant after Sanjay Dutt of the
Congress resigned on March 11 to facilitate Chavan`s election. Dutt`s term was to expire on July 7, 2016.
Chavan took over as the Chief Minister November 11 last
year replacing Ashok Chavan, who resigned over the Adarsh
Housing Society scam. He is required to get elected to either
of the two Houses within six months of assuming office.
The Election Commission had announced the date for the
bye-election after the Bombay High Court gave the go-ahead for
it on April 13. The EC had earlier announced May 5 as the date
for election.
However, it was later advanced to May 4 in view of the
EC deputing the Chief Electoral Officer of Maharashtra as its
Special Observer for the West Bengal Assembly polls.
The EC had to seek the court`s permission to hold the
bye-election for the seat as former Shiv Sena MLC Anil Parab
had in January challenged the June 2010 Legislative Council
elections in which four MNS MLAs were allowed to vote despite
being under suspension. Dutt was one of the victorious
candidates.
PTI
