I can win! Hardik Patel asks Gujarat HC to stay conviction

AHMEDABAD: The

Gujarat

high court has asked the state government to reply to the Patidar quota agitation leader Hardik Patel’s desperate request to stay his two-year conviction in a rioting case so that he can contest the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Hardik has joined Congress party and aims to contest the Lok Sabha polls from Gujarat. In fact, after inducting him, party president Rahul Gandhi said that not only will Hardik contest, he will win. Patel has told the HC that he has got a chance to win the election but conviction is coming in his way of participation in the electoral process.


Last year, Patel was convicted by a Visnagar court for rioting and damaging property of Visnagar MLA Rishikesh Patel during a rally taken out by Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti in July 2015. This was one of the first Patidar quota rallies taken out under the leadership of Hardik.

Hardik tells HC he has been falsely implicated

This conviction will disqualify him to participate in the Lok Sabha elections under the provisions of the Representation of People Act, particularly after the Supreme Court ruled to this effect in 2013.

The HC had last year suspended his sentence but did not stay his conviction. Patel’s request has come at a time when a Congress MLA from Talala, Bhagabhai Barad, has been disqualified within four days of his conviction to 2 years and nine months in a mineral theft case.

After he joined Congress on March 12, Patel has moved the HC for a stay on his conviction and stated that if his conviction order is not stayed, he will suffer irreparable loss. “Being a person of public life, social activist and leader of community, Hardik's goal to serve the society at large by becoming member of parliament will be ruined. The applicant has all the chances to win the election and serve the society as a member of parliament,” his petition reads.

In demanding a stay on conviction, Patel has claimed that he has been falsely implicated in the case and got full chances of exoneration. He also asserted that the state government slapped a number of false and fabricated cases against him on account of political vendetta by the ruling political party because he was fighting for the cause of his community and led a reservation movement.As Patel’s petition came up for hearing before Justice A G Uraizee, the state government sought time to reply. The judge asked the government to place documents on which it is relying by March 18, and posted further hearing the next day on March 19.

Hardik's judges have been requesting the court to expedite the hearing as Patel is now running against time. Election notification has already been published and the Congress is only too willing to field him from one of the politically hot seats. Justice R P Dholaria recused himself from hearing the matter on Wednesday, but on insistence for quick hearing, he ordered accordingly for early proceeding. In July last year, a sessions court in Visnagar of Mehsana district held Hardik Patel, leader of Sardar Patel Group Lalji Patel and A K Patel guilty under sections 147, 148, 149, 427 and 435 of the IPC.