SC dismisses complaint seeking action against PM, Sonia

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed petitions seeking action against Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress President Sonia Gandhi for hosting a dinner party for MPs prior to the Presidential and Vice-Presidential elections allegedly to seek their votes.

A Bench headed by Chief Justice KG Balakrishnan said the petitioners have failed to make allegations in the complaint for making it out an offence.

The petitions were filed by Ravinder Kumar, a practising advocate against the Delhi High Court order, which had dismissed his plea on September 17.

The High Court had held the petition seeking action against the Prime Minister and UPA Chairperson as a 'politically-motivated' one and also imposed a cost of Rs 25,000 on the petitioner.

"The petitioner has failed to prove locus in the case and it has been filed on the basis of hearsay. It is devoid of any merit. The petition is nothing but an abuse of process of law and it has to be discouraged," the court had said.

Besides Gandhi and the Prime Minister, Kumar had sought prosecution of CPI-M leader Prakash Karat, CPI leader AB Bardhan, the Delhi Police Commissioner, the DCP concerned and the SHO of Chanakyapuri Police station.

A Metropolitian Megistrate on July 27 had dismissed the complaint, citing a Constitutional provision of Article 71 and said, 'any matter pertaining to the Presidential or Vice Presidential election can only be dealt by a Constitution bench of the Supreme Court and hence the petition is not maintainable.'