Pragya Thakur won from Bhopal by defeating Congress veteran Digvijaya Singh
The Madhya Pradesh High Court on Friday dismissed BJP MP Pragya Singh Thakur's application questioning maintainability of a petition challenging her election to the Lok Sabha from Bhopal.
The petition, filed by Bhopal-based journalist Rakesh Dixit, alleged the controversial leader, during campaigning, delivered speeches on religious lines, thus violating election norms.
The high court has dismissed the application filed by Pragya Thakur over maintainability of election petition filed against her election to the Lok Sabha," said advocate Arvind Shrivastava, who appeared for Mr Dixit.
He said the court rejected the objection raised by Pragya Thakur, who had questioned the authenticity of video tapes of her alleged hate speeches submitted by the petitioner as evidence.
These speeches were given by Pragya Thakur during campaigning for the Lok Sabha polls in May this year.
Justice Vishal Dhagat delivered the order on the respondent's (Pragya Thakur) application on Friday, the counsel said.
The high court had on November 30 reserved its order on the BJP lawmaker's application challenging maintainability of the petition, he said.
According to the petition, Pragya Thakur allegedly delivered speeches on religious lines, thus violating provisions of section 123 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951.
Rakesh Dixit has filed the petition in his capacity as a voter registered in the Bhopal Lok Sabha constituency.
Pragya Thakur, an accused in the 2008 Malegaon blast case, won from Bhopal in May, defeating Congress veteran Digvijaya Singh.