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New Delhi: After
losing to Pranab Mukherjee by a huge margin, opposition candidate
P.A. Sangma Sunday said his team had kept open the option to
approach the Supreme Court against Mukherjee's election as the
president.
"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.
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.
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.
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