The Enforcement Directorate rejected former Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh’s and minister Nawab Malik’s requests for one-day release to vote in the Rajya Sabha elections on June 10, claiming that inmates do not have voting rights under the Representation of the People (RP) Act.
Mr Deshmukh and Mr Malik, both NCP leaders who are now incarcerated for several money laundering charges, had applied to a special court for interim release to vote in the RS elections last week.
According to the ED, Mr Deshmukh is the primary accused in the money laundering case filed against him, who said he is now in judicial custody after being detained in November last year.
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“Further, it is important to note that convicts do not have voting rights under the Representation of People (RP) Act,” the investigation agency stated, adding that the application is likely to be denied at the preliminary stage.
For similar reasons, the ED opposed Mr Malik’s appeal.
Mr Deshmukh said in his bail plea, “The petitioner (Deshmukh) is a member of the Electoral College for the election of Rajya Sabha members since he is a sitting MLA. The petitioner wishes to exercise his right to vote and exercise his franchise.” On Wednesday, the case will be heard again.
According to the ED, Mr Deshmukh took advantage of his position as state home minister by collecting 4.70 crores from several Mumbai bars with the help of certain police personnel.
Mr Malik was detained on February 23 this year by the ED in a money laundering case involving fugitive criminal Dawood Ibrahim and his associates.
The state will have a battle in the Rajya Sabha elections for the first time in more than two decades, with seven candidates vying for six seats.
The governing Shiv Sena has submitted two candidates, while its MVA partners NCP and Congress have each nominated one candidate, and the opposition BJP has nominated three.
Dhananjay Mahadik of the BJP and Sanjay Pawar of the Shiv Sena are vying for the sixth seat.
