Sangma to approach apex court next week

Sources said Sangma will make his formal announcement after consulting Janata Party leader Subramanian Swamy and noted lawyer Ram Jethmalani who could not attend Tuesdays meeting.

The basis of Sangmas election petition would be his objection against Mukherjees candidature,as raised by him at the time of scrutiny. Sangma had objected to Mukherjees nomination claiming that he held an office of profit at ISI Kolkata. His objections had been rejected by the Returning Officer. The Election Commission had also refused to intervene,suggesting that the Sangma camp could take up the issue in the Supreme Court.

The Sangma camp on Tuesday said they had a very solid case against Mukherjee,adding that the Returning Officers order was legally not tenable. They said Mukherjees resignation from the said office of profit was forged and fabricated. According to us,the Returning Officers order is invalid and the nomination papers of Pranab Mukherjee should have been rejected, Jain said.

With the Sangma camp indicating its intention,Mukherjee would be the eighth President to face a petition against his election. Most election petitions against Presidents were dismissed by the apex court in the past.