Petition against Sachin's nomination to Rajya Sabha before PIL bench

LUCKNOW: The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court today directed to place a writ petition filed against Sachin Tendulkar's nomination to the Rajya Sabha before the division bench dealing with PIL matters on May 7.

The petition, filed by a local lawyer Ashok Pandey on May 2 had sought direction for quashing the recent nomination of Sachin Tendulkar to the Upper House.

A division bench, comprising justice Devi Prasad Singh and Justice Saeduzama Siddiqui, passed this order today after the additional solicitor general Dr Ashok Nigam raised preliminary objections at the time of hearing that this petition is in the nature of Public Interest Litigation (PIL) hence it should be heard by such a bench.

The petitioner in his petition has alleged that the nomination of Tendulkar was against the legal provisions and was in clear violation of the constitution.

He has contended that Tendulkar's nomination as "a renowned sportsman" was in violation of the Article 80(3) of the constitution.

As per the Article 80(3) the members to be nominated by the President shall consist of people having special knowledge of or practical experience in the fields of literature, science, art and social service, he has stated.