Disqualification: MP mantri moves court

Bhopal: Senior Madhya Pradesh minister Narottam Mishra on Tuesday moved the Gwalior branch of Jabalpur high court challenging his disqualification by the Election Commission (EC) for producing wrong poll expenditure accounts during the 2008 Assembly elections, describing it “unconstitutional and arbitrary”. The writ petition filed in the Gwalior branch of Jabalpur high court by Mr Mishra, considered chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan’s close aide, also sought a stay on the EC order pending its disposal, his counsel M.P.S. Raghuv-amsi told this newspaper. “We have challenged legality and validity of the EC order. The disqualification order by EC is unconstitutional and arbitrary because we have not been given full opportunity (to present our side)”, Mr Raghuvamsi said.