Paid news row: Delhi HC to issue order on Narottam Mishra's plea

New Delhi [India], July 14 (ANI): The Delhi High Court on Friday is likely to issue the order on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) minister Narottam Mishra's plea against the Election Commission of India's (EC) order that had barred him from contesting elections for three years in relation to a paid news case. Mishra, who was disqualified by the EC for filing wrong accounts of his election-related expenditure, had challenged the order in the High Court. "Whether I will remain a member or not, that probably has not been mentioned. I also haven't got the order yet. I will go to the high court," Mishra told ANI. Mishra had been disqualified from contesting for three years. The Election Commission's decision was taken based on a complaint lodged by former Congress MLA Rajendra Bharti in April 2009, alleging that Mishra hadn't filed certain details in his election expenditure during the 2008 assembly elections. Mishra challenged the notice in the high court bench at Gwalior and managed to get a stay, in the light of former Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan's case proceeding in the top court. The court, however, vacated the stay order after considering the facts submitted by the complainant's counsel. Mishra then approached the Supreme Court to stall the EC's proceedings, but the apex court did not grant him any relief. Last year, the poll panel questioned Mishra in Delhi about the allegations, whereby it was noted that he hadn't revealed his expenditure on paid news. It should be noted that the EC has the power to disqualify a candidate if he fails to submit a clear and concise account of expenses within the designated time frame. (ANI)