June 24:The Orissa High Court has declared the election of a congress legislator from Malkangiri Assembly constituency as void. The one-man Division Bench comprising Mr.Justice A.S.Naidu has directed the Election Commission to take further steps in the matter in accordance with law.
The Congress MLA Mr.Nimai Sarkar got elected from the seat defeating the BJP candidate Mr.Arabinda Dhali by mere 253 votes. Mr.Dhali had challenged the election of Mr.Sarkar citing several discrepancies in the free and fair conduct of polling and irregularities in counting.