delhi-hc-to-hear-bharti-s-plea-against-bansuri-win

The Delhi High Court has scheduled a hearing for August 13 regarding a petition filed by Aam Aadmi Party leader Somnath Bharti. The petition challenges the election victory of BJP MP Bansuri Swaraj in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Somnath Bharti alleges that Bansuri Swaraj's victory in the New Delhi Lok Sabha Constituency involved corrupt practices.

 

On Monday, the Bench of Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora adjourned the case to August 13, noting that the petition contained typographical errors and needed to be corrected. Somnath Bharti is seeking a directive for the Returning Officer to present records related to the elections held in the New Delhi Parliamentary Constituency on May 25, 2024.

 

The plea states that Somnath Bharti contested the election and lost to Bansuri Swaraj, who was declared the winner on June 4, 2024. According to the returning officer, Bharti received 3,74,815 votes while Bansuri Swaraj received 4,53,185 votes.

 

The petition also claims that Raaj Kumar Anand, a candidate from the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), was allegedly supported by Bansuri Swaraj’s party to undermine Bharti's chances.

 

Anand was a former minister in the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Delhi and had campaigned for Bharti until he suddenly resigned from AAP on April 10, 2024, under pressure from investigating agencies.

 

Subsequently, Anand filed his nomination as an MP candidate from the BSP and later joined the BJP on July 10, 2024, which Bharti argues confirms the intent behind Anand's actions.

 

Bharti's petition further alleges that BJP workers were distributing money and materials like saris and suits to residents in the locality to influence votes. It also claims that Bansuri Swaraj's campaign used religious rhetoric to seek votes, which is prohibited.

 

The upcoming hearing will address these allegations and the overall validity of Bansuri Swaraj’s election win. The court's decision could have significant implications for both parties involved.