The Gujarat High Court on Monday issued a notice to senior Congress leader Ahmed Patel on a petition filed by BJP candidate Balwantsinh Rajput on the commission's decision to invalidate the votes of rebel Congress MLAs during the Rajya Sabha polls in the state. Along with Patel the notices have also been issued against two other candidates who won their Rajya Sabha seats, BJP president Amit Shah and Union Minister Smriti Irani. The notices are returnable on September 21. In his plea Rajput contended that the Election Commission's decision cleared the way for Patel's victory who received 44 votes, the minimum toll needed to win. Rajput urged in his petition with the High Court to set aside the EC's decision declaring it "patently illegal" and alleged that Patel won the election by corrupt practices. The two MLAs whose voted were declared illegal by the Commission had shown their ballots to unauthorised person after casting their votes which went to Patel. Karamsi Patel was one of the 44 Congress MLAs the party had flown out and put up at a resort in Bengaluru. The EC, taking into consideration the Congress’ plea, obtained the video footage of the voting. In an eight-page order it declared that the two MLAs had violated polling procedures and secrecy of the ballot. Of 44 votes cast in favour of Patel, senior Gujarat Congress leaders said, 43 were from Congress MLAs and the last one from Chhotubhai Vasava, seen as a Sharad Yadav camp leader in the JD(U). The JD(U) vote proved crucial for Patel after Karamsi Patel voted for the BJP senior Congress leaders opined. Karamsi Patel was one of the 44 Congress MLAs the party had flown out and put up at a resort in Bengaluru after alleged horsetrading.
