The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Tuesday set aside the election of Congress MLA Mohammed Sadiq from Bhadaur (reserved) constituency in Punjab, holding that he was not qualified to contest from such a seat.
The order of Justice N. K. Sanghi came on a petition filed by D. S. Guru, former Principal Secretary to Punjab Chief Minister and the Akali Dal-BJP candidate from the seat, who had lost out to Sadiq in the January 2012 Assembly polls. The court held that Sadiq was a Muslim and as per Scheduled Caste order 1950, issued under Constitution, people belonging to Hindu, Sikh or Buddhist religions only can avail benefits of the reserved quota.
Sadiq had told the High Court that he converted to Sikhism in 2007. The HC, however, said that he remains a Muslim and he failed to prove that he had converted.
“This is a historic judgement which clarifies that benefits for SCs can be availed only by Hindus, Sikhs and Buddhists and not by Muslims and Christians,” Guru’s counsel Satya Pal Jain said. - PTI
