The Supreme Court will take up Congress leader Meenakshi Natarajan's challenge against her Rajya Sabha nomination cancellation on Friday, even as the Election Commission maintains it hasn't received the petition copy.

 The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear a Congress petition on Friday challenging the rejection of Madhya Pradesh Rajya Sabha candidate Meenakshi Natarajan's nomination papers. The petition, filed digitally at 1:48 am on Wednesday night, alleges the Returning Officer's decision was "illegal, arbitrary, and biased."

 EC Yet to Receive Papers

The Election Commission of India has clarified that it hasn't received a copy of the petition so far. According to officials familiar with the matter, the poll body is likely to seek legal opinion before taking any decision. The EC's stance has only added to the political uncertainty, with Congress leaders expressing growing frustration over the delay.

 3 PM Deadline Today

Thursday afternoon's 3 pm cutoff carries enormous weight – it's the final window for nomination withdrawals. If the Commission remains silent or rules against Congress by then, BJP candidate Mahesh Kewat will be declared elected unopposed. Two other BJP candidates, Tarun Chugh and Rajneesh Agrawal, are already set to win without contest, which would hand the BJP all three Rajya Sabha seats from Madhya Pradesh.

Congress leaders are scheduled to meet President Droupadi Murmu later today to raise the matter. A high-level strategy meeting is also underway at the party's Delhi headquarters to map out legal and political responses.

 What Happens Next

Legal experts point to several possible outcomes. Former Chief Election Commissioner O.P. Rawat said if the EC finds an error by the returning officer, Natarajan's nomination could be restored, making the election contested again. If no relief comes from the Commission, the Congress candidate stays out of the race.

The 3 pm deadline is critical because any EC decision favouring Congress must arrive before the withdrawal window shuts. If that doesn't happen, the party may seek judicial review and interim relief from the Supreme Court – though filing a petition alone won't stop the election process unless the Court intervenes.

 Why Nomination Was Rejected

The dispute traces back to June 9, when Returning Officer Arvind Sharma rejected Natarajan's nomination following objections raised by BJP candidates. The BJP alleged that Natarajan failed to disclose a pending legal matter in Telangana in her election affidavit (Form 26).

Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, representing Congress before the Election Commission, argued that no criminal case exists against Natarajan. He explained that the Telangana matter is only a private complaint where a court issued a notice seeking explanation – no charges have been framed. Congress maintains that unless a court formally takes cognisance and frames charges, it cannot be treated as a pending criminal case requiring disclosure.

The party has termed the rejection "illegal" and described it as an attempt to "steal seats." With the clock ticking, this has now escalated into a political and constitutional battle involving the Election Commission, the Supreme Court, and the President's office.

Supreme Court defers hearing on Congress plea against cancellation of Meenakshi Natarajan’s Rajya Sabha nomination from Madhya Pradesh.

The Supreme Court on Thursday deferred till Friday a hearing on a Congress petition challenging the rejection of Meenakshi Natarajan’s nomination papers for the Rajya Sabha elections from Madhya Pradesh. The adjournment came after the Election Commission told the court it had not received a copy of the petition.

The development has intensified the political slugfest in the state, with the Congress accusing the poll panel and the Returning Officer of bias, while the BJP maintains the decision followed due process over non-disclosure of a pending case.

Nomination Rejected During Scrutiny

The controversy erupted on June 9 when Returning Officer Arvind Sharma rejected Natarajan’s papers during scrutiny. BJP’s Mahesh Kewat, one of the candidates for the third seat, had raised an objection, claiming the Congress leader failed to disclose details of a private complaint pending against her in a Hyderabad court in her election affidavit (Form 26).

Congress leaders, including senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, argued that the matter was merely a “show cause notice” issued on a private complaint and did not amount to a pending criminal case requiring disclosure. No FIR had been registered, and no cognizance had been taken by the court, they contended.

Congress Moves Supreme Court

Late on Wednesday night, the Congress filed a petition in the Supreme Court seeking urgent intervention. During the brief hearing on Thursday, Singhvi pressed for immediate relief, pointing out that the last date for withdrawal of nominations was 3 pm on June 11. The Election Commission, however, sought time to examine the petition.

The apex court eventually listed the matter for Friday, with Congress requesting that the election process, including declaration of results, be stayed in the interim.

BJP Poised for Clean Sweep

Madhya Pradesh is electing three Rajya Sabha members on June 18. With Natarajan’s nomination out and the other two Congress candidates also reportedly facing issues, the BJP’s Tarun Chugh, Rajneesh Agrawal, and Mahesh Kewat are now set for an unopposed victory if no last-minute changes occur. This would hand the saffron party all three seats without a contest.

Congress leaders have termed the rejection an attempt to “steal” the seat and undermine democracy.

 Protests and Political Fallout

The party has been protesting in Bhopal and Delhi. Madhya Pradesh Congress chief Jitu Patwari and Leader of Opposition Umang Singhar accused the Election Commission of acting as a “rubber stamp” for the BJP. Singhar questioned why the Commission intervened in cases involving BJP candidates in other states but remained silent here.

A delegation of Congress leaders, including Singhvi, also met Election Commission officials on Wednesday, urging them to overturn the Returning Officer’s decision. Separately, Congress MLAs are scheduled to meet President Droupadi Murmu in Delhi on Thursday to highlight the issue.

Senior leaders are also holding a meeting at the AICC headquarters to strategise the next steps, both legally and politically.

What Happens Next

Legal experts point out that the Election Commission has the authority to review the Returning Officer’s order. Former Chief Election Commissioner O.P. Rawat noted that if the Commission finds merit in Congress’s arguments, it could direct restoration of the nomination, potentially leading to fresh polling for that seat.

If the Commission does not intervene before the withdrawal deadline, the process will move forward with the remaining valid candidates. The Supreme Court’s decision on Friday could, however, introduce further twists, including possible interim relief.

The Congress has maintained that the rejection sets a dangerous precedent for disclosure norms in election affidavits, while the BJP has defended the scrutiny process as necessary for transparency.

As political temperatures rise in Bhopal and Delhi, all eyes remain on the apex court’s hearing tomorrow and any move by the Election Commission before the crucial 3 pm deadline on Thursday.

The outcome will not only decide the fate of one Rajya Sabha seat but also test the robustness of the electoral dispute resolution mechanism ahead of larger polls.