The Supreme Court has closed the case filed by Goa Congress leader Ketan Bhatikar, who tragically died from a snakebite, regarding the cancelled Ponda assembly by-election.
Key Points
- Goa Congress leader Ketan Bhatikar died after a snakebite.
- The Supreme Court closed Bhatikar's plea challenging the cancellation of the Ponda assembly bypoll.
- The Bombay High Court had cancelled the bypoll due to the legislature's term expiring in less than a year.
- Bhatikar was the Congress candidate for the Ponda assembly seat.
A day after Goa Congress leader Ketan Bhatikar died after being bitten by a snake, the Supreme Court on Friday closed his plea challenging the Bombay High Court order to cancel the Ponda assembly bypoll.
A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta abated the proceeding on his plea after it was informed of Bhatikar's death on Thursday night due to a snakebite.
Details of Ketan Bhatikar's Death
Bhatikar (38) died when he was on his way to Dandeli village in Karnataka.
Advocate Abhishek Jebraj, appearing for the deceased leader, requested that the bench leave the larger question of law open, and close the proceedings.
The bench recorded the submissions of both sides and closed the proceedings on the plea.
Background on the Ponda Bypoll Case
Bhatikar, who was the opposition party's Congress candidate for the Ponda assembly seat, had filed a plea challenging the Bombay High Court's order which cancelled the bypoll on April 8.
"Bhatikar had got down at Karmal Ghat on the Goa-Karnataka border for some reason, when a snake bit him. He was rushed to the Primary Health Centre in Dharbandora, Goa, where doctors declared him brought dead," a police official said.
The bypoll, necessitated by the death of sitting BJP MLA Ravi Naik on October 15 last year was to take place on April 9.
High Court's Decision to Cancel Bypoll
The high court's Goa bench on April 8 had quashed the Election Commission of India's notification for the byelection, citing violation of the Representation of the People Act, as the legislature's term is set to expire in less than a year.
Two registered voters in the constituency had moved the high court challenging the validity of the notification on the ground that less than one year of the current Goa legislative assembly's term was left. The term will expire on March 14, 2027.
The high court had agreed with the contention, noting that as the result would have been declared on May 4, the winning candidate would have got only about nine months as an MLA.
