Navjot Sidhu legally free to contest any election: HC Advocate
Babushahi Bureau
Chandigarh, April 1, 2023: Hemant Kumar, Punjab, and Haryana High Court Advocate today said that Senior Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu who stepped out of Patiala Central Jail after serving 10-months imprisonment is now legally free to contest any election.
HC Advocate asserted that after his release, there is no legal prohibition of any sort on Navjot Sidhu from contesting any (Public) Election.
Advocate however said that if Sidhu had been convicted and sentenced to imprisonment for a term of two years or more, then he would have been disqualified from contesting Election for a further period of six years since his release as provided under Section 8(3) of Representation of the People Act, 1951.
"Of course, he can't contest the upcoming 10 May 2023 Jalandhar Bye-Poll in Punjab as announced by the Election Commission of India (ECI) recently on 29 March since this LokSabha seat is reserved for Scheduled Castes (SC) and Sidhu doesn't belong to this category.
However in the 18th Lok Sabha General Elections as scheduled in Apr-May 2024, he can contest Lok Sabha Poll from any Open Parliamentary Constituency be it in Punjab or any other part of the country. Also before that, if there happens to be any Bye-Election of the Punjab Assembly, if so, he can also contest the same," he added.