CHANDIGARH, May 20: On a petition challenging principal secretary (finance) Rajan Kayshap's election as Chandigarh Olympic Association (COA) president, the Punjab and Haryana High Court here has issued notice of motion for May 25. The notice was issued by a division bench of the High Court, comprising Justice H.S. Brar and Justice V.M. Jain, on the petition filed by Chandigarh Gymnastic Association's secretary S.S. Budhwar.In his petition, Budhwar, had sought directions for setting aside Kayshap's election, besides removing him from the post. Terming Kayshap's election as "illegal and liable to be set aside", Budhwar's counsel Ranjan Lakhanpal had alleged that the respondent, acting as the returning officer for the election, "got himself elected as the president". Claiming violation of the principles of natural justice, the counsel had added that Kayshap had used his position in the government. Quoting a Union of India's circular, Lakhanpal had also submitted that Kayshap was not eligible to contest as "no member of the All India Services was allowed to hold effective office unless the election was unanimous".He had added that the "reasonable demand" for holding the elections "by way of secret ballot" had also been rejected by Kashyap although the "element of secrecy during the elections was of paramount importance, enabling the voters to vote without fear or pressure". The turning down of the demand, he had further added, had vitiated the entire election.
