Ex-Union Minister Dilip Ray Moves Orissa HC Challenging Election Of BJD's Sarada Nayak As Rourkela MLA

Former Union Minister Dilip Ray has filed an election petition before the Orissa High Court challenging the election of Biju Janata Dal (BJD) candidate Sarada Prasad Nayak as MLA from Rourkela constituency on the ground of filing of false affidavit along with nomination papers.

Ray, who had been a Minister of Coal, was convicted in 2020 and sentenced to three years jail in connection with a coal scam relating to irregularities in the allocation of Jharkhand block in 1999.

In April this year, the Delhi High Court gave him partial relief by suspending his conviction so as to enable him to contest the Odisha Assembly Elections-2024.

The Court had noted that Ray is 71. It further observed that multiple appeals and cross-appeals have been filed in the case which will take time to be heard and are not likely to be decided and decided in the near future.

“In case, the applicant's prayer is not allowed, he will lose chance to contest election and an irreversible consequence and irreversible damage to his political career and desire to serve his constituency will be caused to him…” the Court had said.

After the stay of conviction, he was fielded by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) as a candidate from Rourkela Assembly Constituency.

Upon conclusion of election, Nayak won the seat by getting 64660 votes, which was 3552 votes more than the number of votes that Ray secured, i.e. 61108.

He has now challenged the election of Nayak on the ground that the latter provided false/incomplete information in the affidavit which was filed along with the election nomination.

He has alleged that Nayak has not properly disclosed about his assets, liabilities and office of profit which he purportedly holds.