The Meghalaya High Court has finally closed the election petition filed by former minister James Kongkal Sangma against Trinamool Congress MLA from Dadenggre constituency Rupa M. Marak.
The verdict of the High Court followed the publication of withdrawal of the election petition in the Gazette notification on August 7.
The matter was taken up today by the bench of Acting Chief Justice Hamarsan Singh Thangkhiew and the copy of the Gazette notification was also produced before the court.
“There being no objection from any side, the Election Petition No. 7 of 2023 is allowed to be withdrawn and is closed and disposed of. All pending miscellaneous applications also stand disposed of,” Justice Thangkhiew said in his judgement.
It may be mentioned that Marak of the Trinamool Congress defeated Sangma by a margin of 18 votes in the Assembly elections held on February 27, 2023.
However, Sangma challenged the election of Marak in the High Court stating that Marak did not mention one of his bank accounts in the affidavit when he applied for nominations.
The election petition was filed in May 2023 and the High Court took up the case since then with many hearings held.
However, last week, Sangma filed an application under Section 109 of the Representation of People Act, 1951, for withdrawal of Election Petition No. 7 of 2023, duly supported by an affidavit.
As per Section 109 of the Representation of People Act, 1951, the election petition can be withdrawn with the permission of the High Court and also after the notice fixing a date for the hearing of the application is given to all other parties to the petition and published in the Official Gazette.
Despite losing the 2023 election, Sangma, a former MLA of the NPP who won thrice in the past was appointed as chairman of Meghalaya Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC).
The former Dadenggre MLA is also the elder brother of Chief Minister Conrad Sangma.
