The Election Commission of India on Wednesday raised a preliminary objection to a petition filed by Maharashtra Shiv Sena MLA Suhas Kande against the ECI's decision declaring his vote cast in the last week's Rajya Sabha elections as invalid. The ECI's decision had come after the BJP alleged that he violated the voting process. Kande, in his petition filed through advocate Ajinkya Udane, said the ECI's decision discharging his vote has caused grave prejudice to his dignity and reputation, and sought that the HC quash and set aside the ECI's decision.
On Wednesday, advocate Abhinav Chandrachud, appearing for the ECI, the Election Commissioner and the Chief Election Commissioner, told a division bench of Justices S V Gangapurwala and Dhiraj Singh Thakur that he was raising a preliminary objection to the plea. "The petitioner should have filed an election petition as he has challenged a decision of the Election Commission," Chandrachud said.The bench then said it would hear arguments on the preliminary objections on June 24.