At the height of court efforts to get Malik’s vote, the judge said, “Answer one question first.”
Mumbai: His lawyers are working hard to get the jailed minister Nawab Malik to cast his vote in the Rajya Sabha elections. We are just asking permission to go to the Vidhan Bhavan under police protection. Not asking for a one-day bail. Malik’s lawyers told the court that the only thing they wanted to do was to leave voting on the bond for a few hours. The judges asked Malik’s lawyers to answer the question first as to how the petition could be heard in the High Court.
Malik had sought one-day bail in a special PMLA court. However, the PMLA court dismissed the petition. Malik then ran to the High Court. Nawab Malik’s petition before Justice Prakash Naik was first on the list for hearing. But none of Malik’s lawyers were present when the name was called after the judge took his place on the bench. So the judges took the second case for hearing. However, soon after the arrival of lawyer Desai, the hearing started.
Following the commencement of the hearing, Justice Naik asked Malik’s lawyers to answer the question of how the petition was admissible in the High Court. We are just asking permission to go to the Vidhan Bhavan under police protection. We are not asking for one day bail वे Malik’s lawyers told the judges that the bond should be released for a few hours.
- You will have to go to another relevant court for bail
“But in the special PMLA court, you (Malik) made the main request for one day bail and if not, the alternative request was to release him for a few hours. The court dismissed both the petitions. “Any order we give is tantamount to bail and you have to go to another court for bail,” said Justice Desai.
- Strong batting of Malik’s lawyers
“We have not come for bail. We have come to request that the petitioner be kept in judicial custody and released only for a few hours. The High Court may make such order in its special powers under Article 226 of the Constitution. The High Court also has the power to grant bail in exceptional circumstances and privileges. But we are not asking for bail. I have come to the High Court for the constitutional right to vote as a people’s representative and for fulfilling my duty. ”- Desai’s argument on behalf of Malik.
