Kappan says HC has no jurisdiction over disqualification plea

Kerala High Court candidate Mani C. Kappan has contested a petition seeking his disqualification as the MLA, arguing that such a question does not fall under the court's jurisdiction. This challenge comes after Mumbai-based businessman Dinesh Menon filed a petition against Kappan, citing his conviction in several cheque-bounce cases.

Menon, who was one of the complainants in these cases, sought the court's intervention to remove Kappan from office. Kappan countered that the Constitution outlines a specific process for determining MLA disqualification, which would be referred to the Governor for a decision after receiving the Election Commission's opinion. He further stated that he was not currently serving his prison sentences, which totaled three and a half years, and that the court's ruling would not impact the final decision.

Kappan emphasized that Menon's attempts to address the Speaker and Secretary of the Legislative Assembly were ineffective, asserting that the Governor holds the authority to make such a decision.