The Delhi High Court, in a special sitting on Sunday, refused to allow Narottam Mishra, the water resources minister in the Shivraj Singh Chouhan government, to vote in the Presidential election on Monday.

Considered the number two in the Madhya Pradesh Cabinet, Mishra was disqualified by the Election Commission on June 23 for not accounting for the money he spent on paid news during the 2008 Assembly election campaign.

The disqualification sparked a crisis in the state as Speaker Sitasharan Sharma did not declare the Assembly seat held by Mishra as vacant, as required by the Representation of the People Act, 1951.

The Election Commission was displeased with the speaker’s decision, which it felt was a way to allow Mishra time to approach the courts for remedy. The delay in declaring the seat vacancy is also being seen as a direct challenge to the commission’s authority.

The opposition Congress has warned the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party that it will not allow the Assembly to function – its monsoon session of which starts Monday – if Mishra is allowed to attend.

Not accounted for

The Election Commission disqualified the minister by invoking its powers under Section 10A of the Representation of the People Act. The provision allows the commission to disqualify…

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