New Delhi: The Supreme Court refused Tuesday to accord urgent hearing to Congress leader Hardik Patel’s plea challenging the Gujarat High Court order rejecting stay on his conviction in the 2015 Vispur rioting case.
The matter was mentioned for urgent listing before a bench headed by Justice Arun Mishra. The bench also comprising Justices MM Shantanagoudar and Navin Sinha told the Counsel appearing for Patel that there was no urgency in hearing the matter as the high court order was passed in August last year.
“The order was passed in August 2018. What is the urgency now?” the bench said while refusing to accord urgent hearing on the petition.
Patel, 25, had started preparations to contest from Jamnagar on a Congress ticket after joining the party n March 12 and the last date for filing of nominations is April 4. However, under Representation of the People Act, a convict who is facing jail term for two or more years cannot contest unless the conviction is stayed. Hence Hardik had moved the SC.
PTI