Vote on caste — Jichkar gets advance bail

NAGPUR, SEPT 6: Former Rajya Sabha member and Congress nominee for Bhandara Lok Sabha seat Shrikant Jichkar was granted anticipatory bail by the district and sessions judge at Bhandara on Saturday in connection with an offence registered against him under Section 125 of the Representation of People’s Act.

The police had registered an offence against him for getting an advertisement inserted in newspapers seeking votes on the basis of his caste. The advertisement had described Dr Jichkar, a former Maharashtra minister, as ek samanya Kunabiputra, assamanya bhoomi putra (a son of the soil born in ordinary kunabi family).

Dr Jichkar, who is holder of over a dozen post-graduate degrees of the Nagpur University, hails from Nagpur district but was fielded by the party for Bhandara Lok Sabha seat. This was apparently done in anticipation that NCP Praful Patel would seek re-election from his old Bhandara constituency. But Patel chose to contest from neighbouring Chimur constituency this time.