MLA from reserved seat disqualified

Gandhinagar: Gujarat Governor O.P. Kohli has disqualified Independent legislator Bhupendrasinh Khant from reserved Scheduled Tribe seat of Morva Hadaf in Panchmahal district.

Briefing reporters here on Friday, State Assembly Speaker Rajendra Trivedi said Khant, who won the 2017 assembly elections as an Independent candidate, was disqualified after his Scheduled Tribe certificate was found to be invalid and the matter was in the courts.

"The Governor had received a petition in this regard. Yesterday, the Governor sent his order which was received by my office today (Friday). He is, therefore, declared disqualified today and the seat is declared vacant," the Speaker stated.

He said the seat Khant contested from was reserved for Schedule Tribe (ST) candidates and the certificate on the basis of which he contested as a Scheduled Tribe candidate was found invalid and therefore he was declared disqualified after a discussion with the Governor.

Trivedi said after receiving the petition the Governor had solicited the advice of the Election Commission of India (ECI) and also heard both the parties before making the decision.