The Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court has issued a legal summons to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in connection with a petition questioning the validity of his 2024 Assembly election victory from the Nagpur South-West constituency. The petition was filed by Prafulla Gudadhe, the Congress candidate who lost to Fadnavis by a margin of 39,710 votes.
Gudadhe has requested the court to nullify the election result, alleging that several mandatory provisions of election law were not properly followed during the polling process. Justice Pravin Patil, presiding over the matter, has directed Fadnavis to respond to the summons by May 8, 2025. The court is set to examine the nature of the legal violations raised in the petition, which are said to involve procedural irregularities and a lack of adherence to electoral norms.
In a broader judicial move, the court has also summoned two other BJP legislators—Mohan Mate from Nagpur South and Kirtikumar Bhangdia from the Chimur constituency in Chandrapur district. Both are facing similar election-related petitions related to the 2024 polls.
This development marks the beginning of judicial scrutiny into high-profile electoral outcomes in Maharashtra. The court’s proceedings are expected to uncover more details about the alleged violations, and the responses submitted by the concerned BJP leaders, including the Chief Minister, will likely influence the course of legal action moving forward. A clearer picture is anticipated after the return date of May 8.
