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The Apex court today said that the Election Commission has the jurisdiction and can enquire into complaints on paid news against a political leader if the expenditure incurred on it is not disclosed.
A bench headed by Justice A K Patnaik dismissed the plea of former Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan challenging the Commission’s jurisdiction to enquire into such issues.
It directed the Commission to enquire into the complaint against Chavan within 45 days.
The apex court passed the order on an appeal filed by Chavan challenging the Delhi High Court verdict which had refused to grant any relief to Chavan on the issue of paid news.
The apex court in 2011 had stayed a probe by EC into the authenticity of Chavan’s spendings during the 2009 state assembly polls allegedly involving expenses on “paid news”.
The probe was launched by EC on complaints filed by BJP leaders Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi and Kirit Somaiyya.
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