EC withholds Lakshadweep bypoll after HC suspends conviction of MP

New Delhi: The Election Commission (EC) on Monday withheld the Lakshadweep Lok Sabha bypoll after the Kerala High Court suspended the conviction and sentence of Mohammed Faizal, the MP representing the constituency who later stood disqualified, in an attempt-to-murder case.

The poll panel had announced the bypoll recently and it was to be held on February 27. The gazette notification, kicking off the nomination process, was to be issued on Tuesday.

The bypoll was announced following Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Faizal's disqualification on the ground of his conviction by a sessions court in Kavaratti.

Faizal had approached the high court against the order. The high court has suspended the conviction and sentence imposed on him.

"After considering the matter and having due regard to the order passed by Hon'ble High Court of Kerala at Ernakulam.... The Election Commission of India has decided to withhold the by-election and defer the issuance of notification for holding the by-election," a statement issued by the poll panel said.

NCP chief Sharad Pawar met Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Monday to press him for the revocation of Faizal's disqualification.

"Met with Lok Sabha Speaker Shri Om Birla and requested him to revoke the disqualification of Nationalist Congress Party's MP Shri PP Mohammed Faizal," Pawar said in a tweet.

The Supreme Court on Monday agreed to hear next week a plea moved by the Union Territory of Lakshadweep, challenging the January 25 Kerala High Court order that suspended Faizal's conviction and sentence.