RAMESH Vs. MEENAKSHI LEKHI

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Mr. Ramesh, the Petitioner-in-person, contested as an independent candidate in the 2019 general elections for the 04-New Delhi Parliamentary Constituency. He now challenges the election of Respondent [Ms. Meenakshi Lekhi], the returned candidate. Central to his claims are allegations of discrepancies in Respondent's election expenditure and her involvement in corrupt election practices. In her defence, the Respondent has controverted these accusations, and has further submitted the present application seeking dismissal of the petition, by referencing to Ss. 81, 83, and 86 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 [hereinafter, "the Act"], and Order VI Rule 16 and Order VII Rule 11 of the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 ["CPC"]. This judgment aims to appraise the validity of Respondent's application and scrutinize the Petitioner's allegations, thereby determining on the appropriate course of action in this electoral contest.

(2.) Petitioner's grounds of challenge are broadly classified under the following heads:

(3.) Respondent primarily raised the following objections: