SC quashes Meenakshi Natarajan's plea against Rajya Sabha nomination rejection

The Supreme Court on Friday dismissed Congress leader Meenakshi Natarajan's plea challenging the rejection of her Rajya Sabha nomination from Madhya Pradesh, advising that the only remedy for her is to approach the Election Commission.

A bench comprising Justices PK Mishra and AS Chandurkar held that Congress leader Meenakshi Natarajan's petition challenging the rejection of her nomination papers for the Rajya Sabha elections was not maintainable.

"However erroneous the decision may be, once a nomination is rejected, the remedy ordinarily lies elsewhere. Is there any judgment of this Court



where we have interfered at that stage?" the bench observed.

Senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi, appearing for Natarajan, argued that the case warranted judicial intervention. He contended that candidates are required to disclose only those criminal cases that carry a minimum punishment of two years, whereas in the present case, only summons had been issued, and no such requirement was attracted.

"Show us any judgment where we have interfered in the rejection of nomination papers. Once a nomination is rejected, the remedy is to approach the Election Commission," the Supreme Court said.