Pranab Mukherjee might have won the Presidential Polls but still there are some chances of getting out of President’s Office. In the Signature Forgery Case, PA Sangma is planning to approach the Supreme Court.
Satpal Jain, chief of BJP’s legal cell and Sangma’s counting officer, said that their demand was “legal and constitutional”.
“All options are open, our demand is legal and constitutional. We will meet in a couple of days and decide,” Jain told IANS.
In case the election petition is filed and the court hears it, three situations may arise. The court may either dismiss the petition, which will victory for Mukherjee.
The other way would be if the court declares the election void, which will lead to another election, or it may declare the election void and announce Sangma as the winner.
“We are meeting day after tomorrow (Wednesday), this matter will also come up for discussion,” Sangma said to queries about the petition to the apex court after the poll panel had rejected their plea against acceptance of Mukherjee’s nomination.
Sangma’s team had alleged that Mukherjee was holding an office of profit as chairman of Indian Statistical Institute when he filed his nomination as president.
Mukherjee, however, produced his resignation letter dated June 20 with acceptance from the ISI. Subsequently, Sangma’s request was rejected and Mukherjee’s nomination accepted by the returning officer.
Sangma’s team later alleged that the signature on his resignation was forged and had gone to election commission demanding rejection of his nomination. The election commission has rejected their demand, saying it did not have the power to take action.
The option with the team was to approach Supreme Court with an election petition, which can be filed only once results are declared.
Mukherjee, the ruling United Progressive Alliance (UPA) candidate, has won the president’s poll with a massive margin, bagging 713,763 votes, about 70 percent, leaving Sangma way behind with 315,887 votes.