HC declares Assam minister's election void

Guwahati: In a major setback for the ruling Congress, the Guwahati High Court on Wednesday declared the election of Assam Social Welfare Minister Akon Bora as void from the Dispur capital constituency in 2006.

Responding to a petition filed by former AGP minister Atul Bora, Justice I Ansari passed a lengthy judgement and declared the election of Bora as void under the provisions of the Representation of Peoples act.

Justice Ansari also directed fresh elections in two polling stations in the Dispur Assembly constituency and asked the Election Commission to take steps for holding polls there.

Niloy Dutta appeared on behalf of Atul Bora while A K Bhattacharya and K Agarwal represented Akon Bora.

The AGP candidate lost the polls by a paltry 813 votes. He had filed a petition in the high court alleging election malpractices by the authorities concerned in the two polling stations.

Akon Bora had polled 52,461 votes while the AGP candidate polled 51,648 votes.

Hailing the court verdict, AGP demanded immediate resignation of Bora saying he had no right to continue in public office.