REGU MAHESH @ REGU MAHESWAR RAO vs RAJENDRA PRATAP BHANJ DEV

The Supreme Court upheld the dismissal of an election petition under Sections 5 and 100(1)(c) and (d)(i) of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, ruling that the petition lacked a valid cause of action and did not comply with the necessary procedural requirements, including proper verification and affidavit format as per Rule 94-A of the Conduct of Election Rules, 1961. The Court emphasized that allegations of fraud regarding Scheduled Tribe membership are treated with the same gravity as corrupt practices, but the petitioner's failure to substantiate claims led to the rejection of the petition. The Court affirmed the High Court's findings on the inadequacies of the election petition.