The Supreme Court of India refused to grant relief to senior Congress leader and former Minister Sunil Kedar, who had sought a stay on his conviction to enable him to contest the upcoming Assembly elections. Kedar’s plea was heard by the Apex Court on Friday, following his unsuccessful attempt to overturn his conviction at the Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court. Kedar’s legal battles started from his involvement in the Nagpur District Central Cooperative Bank (NDCC) scam, where he and six others were sentenced to five years’ rigorous imprisonment along with a fine by the Nagpur District Sessions Court on December 22, 2023. The conviction had barred Kedar from participating in any elections due to the Representation of the People Act, which disqualifies leaders sentenced to more than two years in prison from contesting elections. The Supreme Court’s decision to not stay Kedar’s conviction dashed his immediate hopes of returning to political life. Despite this setback, the court’s ruling is not entirely unfavourable.

 

The Supreme Court has directed the Nagpur District Sessions Court to expedite the decision on Kedar’s appeal against his conviction. The Sessions Court has been instructed to resolve this appeal before September 30, 2024. This development offers a potential pathway for Kedar’s political ambitions. If the Sessions Court rules in his favour and overturns or stays his conviction, Kedar could regain his eligibility to contest the assembly elections. This ruling maintains Kedar’s ability to potentially participate in the elections should the lower court’s decision be in his favour. Kedar’s legal team had initially sought a stay of sentence and bail from the Sessions Court, which was denied. Later, Kedar approached the Bombay High Court, where his petition for a stay of conviction was also rejected. The High Court’s decision left Kedar with no option but to escalate the matter to the Supreme Court.