New Delhi: P A Sangma camp today discussed Election Commission`s order rejecting its complaint against Pranab Mukherjee`s candidature and decided to leave the matter at that but kept open the option of moving the Supreme Court in case the BJP-backed candidate lost the Presidential poll.
The legal team of Sangma, comprising Ram Jethmalani, Subramanian Swamy and Satya Pal Jain, along with some others met at Jethmalani`s residence and decided not to move the Supreme Court as of now and instead concentrate on Sangma`s campaign in view of the proximity of the Presidential poll.
"We have examined the whole matter in detail including the Election Commission and Returning Officer`s orders...Since the time factor is very short and polling for the Presidential poll is on July 19, we will now concentrate on the campaign of P A Sangma. In case unfortunately he loses, then we will file an Election Petition against Mukherjee in the Supreme Court," Sangma`s lawyer Satya Pal Jain told PTI.
He said the Presidential and Vice-Presidential Elections Act, 1952, also states that the Supreme Court has the jurisdiction to entertain the election petition after the declaration of result and not before that.
"Thus we shall now wait for the declaration of result," Jain said.
He said EC has not rejected their case on merit and has said that it does not have jurisdiction to entertain any dispute or doubt as this power is vested in the Supreme Court.
Citing Constitutional and legal provisions, the Election Commission had rejected the petition of BJP-backed Presidential nominee P A Sangma camp against UPA candidate Pranab Mukherjee`s nomination saying the same is not maintainable before it.
The Sangma camp had petitioned the EC against the decision of the Presidential poll Returning Officer for accepting the nomination papers of UPA candidate Pranab Mukherjee, despite their objections to the same on the ground that he allegedly occupied office of profit, a charge denied by Mukherjee camp.
PTI
