Supreme Court Dismisses Bhupesh Baghel's Petition Over Election Challenge

The Supreme Court of India rejected former Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel's plea to have an election petition against his 2023 assembly victory thrown out. The bench, led by Chief Justice Surya Kant with Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana, said Baghel could raise all legal objections during the High Court trial.

The petition alleges Baghel violated the 48‑hour silence period before polling by conducting a roadshow, breaching Section 126 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951. Senior advocate Kapil Sibal argued the act constitutes only an electoral offence, not a "corrupt practice" under Section 123, and that the alleged breach could not have materially affected the result, which Baghel won by about 20,000 votes. The Court noted that whether the violation impacted the outcome is a factual question requiring evidence.