SC Refuses Relief To Meenakshi Natarajan In RS Nomination Case: ‘Can't Make Exception For One Candidate’
SC Refuses Relief To Meenakshi Natarajan In RS Nomination Case: ‘Can't Make Exception For One Candidate’ Published By, Last Updated: June 12, 2026, 13:49 IST
SC Refuses Relief To Meenakshi Natarajan In RS Nomination Case: ‘Can't Make Exception For One Candidate’ Published By, Last Updated: June 12, 2026, 13:49 IST Article 329 of the Indian Constitution bars courts from interfering in electoral matters, ensuring elections proceed without judicial delays. Rapid Read Meenakshi Natarajan. (Image: PTI) The Supreme Court on Friday declined to grant relief to Congress leader Meenakshi Natarajan in connection with the rejection of her Rajya Sabha nomination, holding that it could not carve out an exception for a single candidate in the matter. The court observed that once a candidate’s nomination is rejected by a returning officer, the appropriate remedy lies in approaching the Election Commission, while hearing a plea filed by Meenakshi Natarajan. A bench of Justices Prashant Kumar Mishra and Atul S. Chandurkar questioned whether the court could intervene at this stage of the electoral process and asked Natarajan’s counsel to cite any precedent where such judicial interference had been permitted.
“If the court accepts arguments to find out glaring cases which are required to be interfered with under Article 32/226, and the other sets of cases, where the rejection is not so improper prima facie to relegate them to election petitions, this court would be reading some principle which is not provided for under Article 329. “We are afraid that any such interpretation that in some of the matters this Court can interfere while leaving some others to avail the remedy of the election tribunal cannot be encouraged," the bench said. Article 329 of the Indian Constitution bars courts from interfering in electoral matters, ensuring elections proceed without judicial delays. During the hearing, the Supreme Court observed that once a candidate’s nomination is rejected by the Returning Officer, the appropriate remedy lies in approaching the Election Commission. The court also asked counsel for Meenakshi Natarajan to cite any judgment in which it had interfered at that stage of the election process.
“However erroneous the decision may be, once a nomination is rejected, the remedy ordinarily lies elsewhere. Is there any judgment of this Court where we have interfered at that stage?" the bench asked. Senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi, appearing for Natarajan, submitted that a candidate is required to disclose criminal cases only where the offence carries a minimum sentence of two years, and that in the present case, only a summons had been issued. He argued that the nomination for the Rajya Sabha elections from Madhya Pradesh had been wrongly rejected by the Returning Officer on the basis of alleged non-disclosure of a criminal case under the Representation of the People Act. An order by the Rajya Sabha election Returning Officer, Arvind Sharma, stated that after examining the available records, it was found that Natarajan had submitted an incomplete affidavit in Form 26, omitting details of a court complaint filed against her along with the nomination papers.
According to a Madhya Pradesh Assembly official, the ruling BJP candidate, Mahesh Kewat, had also filed a complaint before the Returning Officer alleging that Natarajan had not disclosed a case registered against her in Telangana. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: June 12, 2026, 13:31 IST News india SC Refuses Relief To Meenakshi Natarajan In RS Nomination Case: ‘Can't Make Exception For One Candidate’ Disclaimer: Comments reflect users’ views, not News18’s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments...
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