EC disqualifies Madhya Pradesh minister Narottam Mishra in paid news case

NEW DELHI: Senior Madhya Pradesh minister Narottam Mishra was disqualified by the Election Commission for three years for filing wrong accounts of election expenditure. His election from the Datia Assembly constituency also stands void. Rajendra Bharti of the Congress had alleged that Mishra, a close aide of Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, had not filed certain details in his election expenditure in the 2008 polls. The EC had served notice to Mishra on January 15, 2013. Mishra had moved the Madhya Pradesh High Court and the Supreme Court against the EC notice, but did not get any relief. Finally, the EC came out with its verdict on Saturday. What is the case: Congress leader Rajendra Bharti complained to the Election Commission in 2012 that Mishra paid for a series of "news" reports published in various newspapers ahead of the 2008 assembly elections to enhance his prestige among voters without accounting for that expense. The Election Commission issued a show-cause notice to Mishra in 2013 that said: "42 news, which were published in various newspapers between November 8 and 27 in 2008, appear to be advertisements in garb of news." Mishra replied to the show-cause notice, but also got a stay from a single bench of the high court, which was later vacated. Mishra subsequently petitioned the Supreme Court seeking a stay on the proceedings of the Election Commission which was dismissed by the court in October last year. Thereafter he again moved a petition requesting the high court to declare Section 10 (A) of the Representation of People Act 1951 as ultra vires (outside the powers) of the Election Commission. Section 10 (A) of the Representation of the People Act 1951 deals with "disqualification for failure to lodge account of election expenses."