Setback for Congress: Hardik Patel's election candidature in peril after Gujarat HC refuses to stay conviction order

In a major big setback for the newly-joined Congress leader Hardik Patel, the Gujarat High Court on Friday rejected his plea seeking suspension of his conviction in a rioting case of 2015 in Mehsana. As per the Representation of the People Act, 1951, Hardik Patel won't be able to contest the upcoming Lok Sabha Election due to his conviction.

Observing that the grounds for the appeal are nor urgent, Justice AG Uraizee, during the hearing, took into account the number of pending cases against Hardik Patel across various courts before rejecting his plea. The court further added that the faith in Justice will shake if stay on his appeal is granted. 

The Gujarat government on Tuesday had opposed his plea, seeking a stay on conviction in a rioting case in Visnagar, by producing photographic evidences and documents that it claimed established his presence during the incident.

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Gujarat High Court on Friday rejected Congress and Patidar leader Hardik Patel’s plea seeking stay on sentence awarded to him in a rioting case, narrowing his chances of electoral debut in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

Hardik Patel had on March 12 officially joined the Rahul Gandhi-led Congress party and soon after moved a petition in the high court, seeking a stay on his conviction by the Visnagar sessions court in the case on the ground he intends to contest the next month's Lok Sabha elections. 

The sessions court had awarded him two-year jail term in the 2015 case, which is linked to the Patidar quota agitation led by the 25-year-old leader.

As per norms, he will be barred from contesting the Lok Sabha elections if his conviction is not stayed by the High Court. Representation of People’s Act bars anyone with two or more than two years imprisonment sentence from contesting the elections.

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(With PTI inputs)