High Court Dismisses Election Petition Against MLA Vinay Prakash Gond

Radha Charan had filed an election petition in the High Court against the election of Vinay Prakash Gond as MLA. He had alleged that the MLA belonged to the OBC category, while he contested from the safe seat of Ramkola by obtaining a Scheduled Caste certificate. The petitioner claimed that the certificate was fraudulently obtained and on this basis his election should be set aside. During the hearing, the MLA stated that his caste certificate was issued by the competent authority. No competent committee has cancelled it till date. The complaint regarding the validity of the certificate is pending before the District Level Scrutiny Committee, hence the certificate will be treated as valid till the committee gives its final decision. The High Court after hearing the parties said that the Election Tribunal does not have the authority to adjudicate on the validity or genuineness of the caste certificate of a candidate. This right is only with the competent caste verification committees constituted by the State Government. On the basis of these facts and legal provisions, the High Court dismissed the election as baseless.