Allahabad, May 6 (PTI) The Allahabad High Court on Friday issued a notice to Samajwadi Party MLA from the Sardhana constituency in Meerut district Atul Pradhan on an election petition filed by BJP candidate Sangeet Singh Som.

In the petition, the election of Pradhan has been challenged on the ground of concealment of criminal cases.

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Justice J J Munir issued the notice to Pradhan and fixed July 4 as the next date of hearing.

The court also directed that on the next date of hearing Pradhan shall appear before the court and also submit his written statement along with all documents.

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According to Som's counsel, Pradhan had suppressed 11 criminal cases that are pending against him and wherein charge-sheets have been filed and cognizance taken, while filing his nomination form on January 19, 2022 before the returning officer of the Sardhana assembly constituency of Meerut district of Uttar Pradesh.

Som's counsel further submitted that the suppression of 11 criminal cases constituted violation of the provisions of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, that would render the candidate's election void.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)