Unlawful: Congress urges EC to reverse Meenakshi Natarajan nomination rejection
Mangalore Today News Network
New Delhi, Jun 10, 2026: The Congress on Wednesday mounted a strong challenge to the rejection of Madhya Pradesh leader Meenakshi Natarajan’s Rajya Sabha nomination, urging the Election Commission to intervene immediately and set aside what it called a "completely egregious, blatant, patently unlawful" order.
A Congress delegation led by senior advocate and MP Abhishek Manu Singhvi met Election Commission officials and submitted a detailed representation, arguing that Natarajan’s nomination had been rejected despite there being no criminal case against her that required disclosure under election law.
"We had a detailed representation to the Election Commission. We have told them and demonstrated, according to us beyond doubt and beyond any matter of controversy, that the RO has passed a perverse order, an order akin to writing 2 plus 2 is equal to 7," Singhvi said.
WHY CONGRESS SAYS THE REJECTION IS ILLEGAL
Singhvi argued that Section 33A of the Representation of the People Act requires disclosure only in specific criminal cases.
"The Election Commission’s own law, the Representation of the People Act, has Section 33A, which says that you have to disclose only those cases which have a punishment of more than two years and, above all, only those cases where charges have been framed," he said.
Explaining the legal process, Singhvi said a private complaint does not automatically become a criminal case.
"The first step is a private complaint. That private complaint may be baseless, may have no legs to stand on. The second stage is the taking of cognisance by the magistrate, a judicial and independent process. He may or may not take cognisance," he said.
According to Singhvi, Natarajan had only received a court notice asking her to explain why cognisance should not be taken.
"Ms Natarajan only received a notice to come to the court and tell the court why cognisance should not be taken. That means the notice she received was before any cognisance was taken," he said.
"Without cognisance, no criminal case exists in the eyes of law. There is no criminal case merely if I allege something against somebody else without cognisance being taken."
’THERE WAS NO CASE TO DISCLOSE’
The Congress leader said the Returning Officer rejected Natarajan’s nomination despite the absence of any criminal case requiring disclosure.
"They have rejected Ms Natarajan’s nomination on the non-existence of even cognisance, which means there is no criminal case which she could have disclosed," Singhvi said.
He argued that the law requires several additional stages before disclosure becomes mandatory.
"After cognisance, if it is taken, then there will be investigation. After investigation, there will be a charge sheet. That is not enough. The section says after charge sheet, the judge must frame charges. Had the judge reached the stage of framing charges, she would have been obliged to disclose."
Referring to the Returning Officer’s order, Singhvi said: "The word used is ’sangyan’ in the RO’s order. Sangyan means cognisance. There is no cognisance taken."
CONGRESS SEEKS EC INTERVENTION
The Congress delegation also urged the Election Commission to exercise its constitutional authority under Article 324.
"Ultimately, we pointed out to the Election Commission that they are having a huge reservoir of power under Article 324. It is a constitutional power. It is inherent power. It is power to do justice and power to right wrongs," Singhvi said.
He argued that the poll panel need not wait for lengthy litigation if a nomination is wrongly rejected.
"We hope and trust that the EC will realise that this creates a very bad distorted non-level playing field. A non-level playing field strikes at the heart of democracy. A violation of that strikes further at the heart of the basic structure of the Constitution."
"We have requested them for an immediate decision. We have come on the day of withdrawal. There is sufficient time."
Calling for urgent action, Singhvi said: "This is a completely egregious, blatant, patently unlawful, without law order. It should be set aside immediately."
NO FIR, ONLY A COURT NOTICE: CONGRESS
Senior Congress leader Vivek Tankha also defended Natarajan, saying misinformation was being spread about the case.
"Confusion is being spread regarding Meenakshi Natarajan’s nomination. No criminal case has been registered. Only a notice has been received stating why proceedings for Rs 10 crore compensation should not be initiated against her and other people. Meenakshi ji’s lawyer has responded to this notice. No FIR has been filed," Tankha said.
Congress leader Ruchira Chaturvedi echoed the argument.
"No criminal case in the eyes of the law exists against Ms Meenakshi Natarajan. There is no criminal case for her to disclose. There is only a notice by Court of a private complaint which is not liable to be disclosed. Rejection of her nomination is illegal," she wrote on X.
With the deadline for withdrawal approaching, the Congress is now awaiting the Election Commission’s response to its plea, arguing that the rejection has altered the electoral playing field and requires immediate correction.