Allahabad HC disqualifies UP Samajwadi Party candidate
Lucknow,December 16(HS): The Allahabad High Court on Monday set aside election of controversial Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan’s son,causing a big set-back to him.He was elected two years ago from Suar Assembly constituency in Uttar Pradesh.
Abdullah Khan stands disqualified because he had not acquired the age (25) in 2017 for seeking an election.He is likely to challenge the order in the Supreme Court.
Though in his nomination papers he had given 1990 as the year of birth,his passport showed the year as 1993.Various other documents showed the same year (1993).He was charged with forgery and submitting a false document for his passport.
The single judge bench of justice S P Kesarwani found the documents showing 1990 as his age year as false.The Court also dismissed his mother’s statement that he was born in the 1990 as untrue.
Rampur which has more than 50 per cent Muslim population has elected three members of the family — Azam Khan,Tazeen Fatima and Abdullah Khan.The other two were elected to the state Assembly.
Both father and son had made controversial statements during the elections.While Azam who had defeated noted film actress Jaya Prada has made many such statements and had to apologise to the Court once,his son had faced flak for a remark against the actress.He was quoted as saying both “Ali and Bajrangbali (Hanuman) are welcome,but not Anarkali (Jaya Prada).
His election was challenged by Nawab Kazim Ali who was defeated by Abdullah by a record margin of votes despite Modi wave sweeping the state then.Ali had won suar seat three times on the Congress ticket in 2002,2007 and 2012.In the last election he had contested as a BSP candidate.
The development might have given a jolt to SP president Akhilesh Yadav who was in a jubilant mood after winning two seats in the Assembly by-elections out 11 held in October last.Abdullah was one of the winners.
