The Bombay High Court on Friday (August 16) sought response from BJP MP Narayan Rane on an election petition challenging his victory in the Lok Sabha elections from the Ratnagiri–Sindhudurg Constituency.
The petition, filed by Shiv Sena (Uddhav Faction) candidate Vinayak Raut, accuses Rane of breaching the Model Code of Conduct during his campaign. Justice Sarang Kotwal, after a brief hearing, directed Rane and other respondents to respond and scheduled the next hearing for September 12, 2024.
“Issue summons to all respondents in consonance with the rules of the Representation of the People Act,” the judge stated.
It was argued before the High Court that a speech was made in a village, urging residents to vote for Rane, with the implication that failure to do so would result in the denial of funds for the Gram Panchayat.
The petitioner has requested that Rane’s election be declared void and that fresh elections be conducted. Rane won the Lok Sabha seat by a margin of 47,858 votes against Shiv Sena (UBT) candidate Raut. According to a report by the Indian Express, Raut has alleged that Rane’s victory was achieved through “fraudulent means.”
The plea further claimed that after the campaign, a video surfaced showing Rane’s supporters distributing money to voters and urging them to vote for Rane through “illegal and unfair” methods.
