New Delhi: After losing to Pranab Mukherjee by a huge margin, opposition candidate P A Sangma on Sunday said his team had kept open the option to approach the Supreme Court against Mukherjee's election as the President.
"We are meeting day after tomorrow (Wednesday), this matter will also come up for discussion," Sangma said to queries about the petition to the apex court after the poll panel had rejected their plea against acceptance of Mukherjee's nomination.
Sangma's team had alleged that Mukherjee was holding an office of profit as the chairman of the Indian Statistical Institute when he filed his nomination.
Mukherjee, however, produced his resignation letter dated June 20 with acceptance from the ISI. Subsequently, Sangma's request was rejected and Mukherjee's nomination accepted by the returning officer.
Sangma's team later alleged that the signature on his resignation was forged and had gone to the election commission demanding rejection of his nomination. The election commission has rejected their demand, saying it did not have the power to take action.
The option with the team was to approach Supreme Court with an election petition, which can be filed only once results are declared.
Satpal Jain, chief of BJP's legal cell and Sangma's counting officer, said that their demand was "legal and constitutional".
"All options are open, our demand is legal and constitutional. We will meet in a couple of days and decide," Jain said.
In case the election petition is filed and the court hears it, three situations may arise. The court may either dismiss the petition, which will be a victory for Mukherjee.
The other way would be that the court declares the election void, which will lead to another election, or it may declare the election void and announce Sangma as the winner.
Mukherjee, the ruling United Progressive Alliance (UPA) candidate, has won the presidential poll with a massive margin, leaving Sangma way behind.
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