In major setback for the NPF party, Manipur High Court (MHC) on Friday declared the 2019 election of Naga People’s Front member of parliament from 2-Outer Manipur (ST) Parliamentary Constituency, Lorho S. Pfoze as “null and void”.
In this regard the court in its order dated September 23, 2022, declared the petitioner– Houlim Shokhopao Mate of BJP, who secured the second position, as duly elected member from 2-Outer Manipur (ST) Parliamentary Constituency.
The single-judge bench of Justice M.V. Muralidaran was hearing the Election Petition no. 1 of 2019 filed by Houlim, who claimed that the affidavit filed by Lorho during the election process had several “defects”.
According to the petitioner, there was no proper scrutiny as envisaged under Section 36(2) of the RP Act and that the Returning Officer had “abruptly and improperly accepted” the nomina-tion paper of the respondent (Lorho).
It was pointed out that Lorho failed to disclose relevant details, furnished misleading and false particulars/information and provide vital information in his affidavit filed before the election
According to the petitioner, the nomination paper filed by Lorho should have been rejected by the RO. However, it said that the RO improperly accepted the nomination, thereby allowing Lorho to contest the election.
Therefore, “The Election Petition is allowed by declaring the election of the Respondent No. 1 as Member of 2-Outer Manipur (ST) Parliamentary Constituency to the 17th Lok Sabha, 2019 as null and void,” the order stated.
The court declared Houlim as duly elected member of 2-Outer Manipur (ST) Parliamentary Constituency.
