PM Narendra Modi poll code breach case: HC gives more time to Gujarat government

AHMEDABAD: Hearing a criminal revision application in the poll code breach case against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Gujarat High Court today admitted the plea for final hearing but gave more time to the Advocate General to argue.

Justice GR Udhwani granted time to the Advocate General while hearing revision application of AAP worker Nishant Verma against the verdict of the lower court, which in May this year dismissed his application seeking action against Modi.

Today, when Verma's revision application came up, the HC first admitted it (for final hearing) after initial arguments. However, before the order was signed by the judge, Advocate General Kamal Trivedi sought time to produce some past judgements.

Verma's lawyer opposed this. But the judge held that "in the larger interest of justice, there is nothing wrong in accepting a request for further opportunity before the order is signed. In a number of cases, such requests are made to various courts, including this Court, and the cases are deferred for giving more opportunities to the parties."

The matter was adjourned to October 6.

The city crime branch, which investigated the allegations of poll code violation against Modi on the direction of the Election Commission, had given a clean chit to him and filed a closure report before a court.

Verma challenged the report. Chief judicial magistrate of Ahmedabad Rural court S R Sinh dismissed Verma's petition and upheld the closure report.

Verma had sought action against Modi for displaying party symbol on the poll day.

On April 30 last year, when the voting was underway for 26 Lok Sabha seats of Gujarat, Modi addressed a press conference immediately after he voted at a school at Ranip area here and displayed his party's symbol, lotus.