Supreme Court Sets Aside HC Judgment Which Invalidated Assembly Election Of Arunachal Pradesh MLA Dasanglu Pul

The Supreme Court on Thursday (October 19) set aside the judgment of the Gauhati High Court which invalidated the election of BJP MLA from Arunachal Pradesh Dasanglu Pul to the State Assembly in 2019.

A bench comprising Justices AS Bopanna and PS Narasimha allowed the appeal filed by Pul and dismissed the election petition filed against her election.  

In May, the Supreme Court had granted interim relief to Pul, by ordering that no bye-election should be held in the constituency represented by her during the pendency of her petition in the Top Court. The Court had also observed that Pul will be entitled to to all privileges as Member of the Legislative Assembly and to participate in all the proceedings in the House and in the Committees.

Dasanglu Pul, the widow of former Chief Minister Kalikho Pul, was elected from the Hayuliang Assembly constituency in 2019. The High Court delivered the verdict on an election petition filed by her opponent in the election Lupalam Kri alleging that she had not disclosed six properties of her late husband in the election nomination form. The Court invalidated her election on the ground that she had not presented her nomination paper in accordance with Section 33 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 and that the same was liable to be rejected.

Citation : 2023 LiveLaw (SC) 912

Click here to read the judgment