Indore Court Cancels Ward 60 Corporator Sunehra Ansari's Election Over False Affidavit

Indore (Madhya Pradesh): In a significant verdict with implications for transparency in local body elections, the Indore District Court has declared the election of Ward 60 corporator Sunehra Ansari, wife of Ansaf Ansari, null and void after holding that she had concealed material facts and furnished false and incomplete information in her election affidavit.

The order was passed on Friday in an election petition filed by Iftekhar Ansari, who had challenged the validity of the 2022 Indore Municipal Corporation election.

Besides Sunehra Ansari, the respondents in the petition included Ayesha B, Aarti Verma and Ranjana Piple, who were also candidates in the election, along with Yasmeen Ansari, wife of Iftekhar Ahmed Ansari, who had sought to be declared the elected corporator if the returned candidate's election was set aside.

The petitioner alleged that Sunehra Ansari had failed to disclose complete details of her movable and immovable assets, liabilities, municipal dues and other mandatory information in the nomination affidavit, in violation of Rule 24-A of the Madhya Pradesh Municipal Election Rules, 1994.

It was also alleged that she had suppressed information relating to properties jointly owned with her husband and outstanding municipal taxes, thereby misleading voters.

The petition further alleged corrupt electoral practices, including the circulation of misleading campaign material and the inducement of voters.

After examining documentary evidence, municipal records, nomination documents and witness testimonies, the court framed several issues and concluded that the returned candidate had knowingly submitted false and incomplete information in the election affidavit.

The court held that Sunehra Ansari had concealed material facts regarding assets and liabilities, thereby rendering her ineligible to continue as a corporator and her election void.

However, the court found that the allegations of corrupt electoral practices were not proved with sufficient evidence.

While partly allowing the election petition, the court declared Sunehra Ansari's election as Ward 60 corporator invalid under the Madhya Pradesh Municipal Corporation Act, 1956.

However, it rejected the prayer to declare Yasmeen Ansari elected, observing that there was no legal basis to presume she would have secured the highest number of valid votes had the disqualified candidate not contested.

The court directed that copies of the judgment be sent to the district election officer and the Indore Municipal Corporation commissioner for necessary action.