Court rejects applications of Nawab Malik & Anil Deshmukh to vote in Rajya Sabha election

The Special PMLA court on Thursday rejected applications of Maharashtra minister Nawab Malik and former state minister Anil Deshmukh seeking permission to vote in Rajya Sabha elections tomorrow. The lawyer of former Maharashtra minister Anil Deshmukh has requested a certified copy of the order as soon as possible so as to enable them to approach the High Court today.

Voting for the six Rajya Sabha seats will be held on Friday. Anil Deshmukh and Nawab Malik are both in ED's custody.

Arguments were made in the Mumbai Sessions Court today. Deshmukh and Malik have argued that an elected MLA has the right to vote. The ED has strongly opposed the petition of the two. The ED has claimed in court that prisoners do not have the right to vote.

Former Home Minister Anil Deshmukh of MVA is in jail for financial misconduct while Nawab Malik is currently in jail for money laundering. Mahavikas Aghadi is trying to get them to vote in this by-election.