U.P. Government to move Supreme Court now

Varun Gandhi

LUCKNOW: The State Advisory Board of the Allahabad High Court on Friday recommended the revocation of the National Security Act (NSA) slapped on Bharatiya Janata Party’s Pilibhit candidate Varun Gandhi. It cited lack of sufficient grounds to press forward the case under the law against him.

The Uttar Pradesh government, soon after, decided to challenge the recommendation in the Supreme Court.
Home Secretary Javeed Ahmed said the Board was unsatisfied with the evidence provided by the Pilibhit District Magistrate for booking Mr. Gandhi under the NSA. The Board set aside the NSA and said it was invalid.

Information Secretary Diwakar Tripathi told The Hindu that the legal formalities were over and a government plea is likely to be filed in the Supreme Court on Saturday.

The Board came out with the recommendation after conducting in camera proceedings with Mr. Gandhi on April 28. Headed by Justice Pradeep Kant of the Lucknow Bench of the High Court, it had Justice (retd.) P.K. Sareen and Justice (retd.) S.N. Sahay as its members.

Mr. Gandhi is now on parole till May 14 that was granted to him by the Supreme Court.

The NSA was slapped on Mr. Gandhi on March 29 following large-scale violence by his supporters on March 28 in Pilibhit after his arrest on charge of delivering hate and inflammatory speeches in a couple of elections meetings in the parliamentary constituency. Pilibhit goes to the polls on May 13.

Hails recommendation

Mr. Gandhi welcomed the Board’s recommendation, but maintained that the Mayawati dispensation and the Centre have to answer for his “wrongful detention for 20 days.”
He always had faith in the judiciary and democracy, he added.