Court Nullifies Ponda By-Election, Congress Plans Apex Challenge

The Bombay High Court declared the Election Commission of India's notification for the Ponda Assembly by-election as 'null and void' on Wednesday, effectively canceling the April 9 poll. Congress announced it will challenge this decision in the Supreme Court.

The Goa bench of Justices Valmiki Menezes and Amit Jamsandekar delivered the ruling, responding to petitions by voters who questioned the necessity of the by-election due to the remaining term being under one year. The by-election followed former Goa minister Ravi Naik's death in October last year, with polling initially set for April 9 and counting on May 4.

Congress critic Girish Chodankar alleged the BJP and ECI conspired to cancel the by-election, citing fear of losing. He noted the late declaration of the bypoll, five months after Naik's death. Petitioners were noted BJP sympathizers, hinting at political maneuvering, Chodankar claimed.