Monday, March 20 2006 14:46 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Lucknow: The nomination paper of independent candidate Pradeep Singh for the forthcoming state legislative council polls was today (Mar 20 2006) rejected by the returning officer, official sources said.

Singh's nomination was rejected by returning officer and principal secretary Vidhan Sabha, R P Pandey, after scrutiny, the sources said.

Congress legislature party leader Pramod Tewari had raised certain objections on Singh's nomination paper, they said.

On Saturday, Pandey had heard arguments from both sides and deferred his decision till today.

Barring Singh, the nomination papers of all 13 candidates for the ten seats in the Rajya Sabha elections and 14 candidates for 13 state legislative council seats were found to be in order after scrutiny on Saturday.

Today is also the last date for withdrawal of names and elections, if required, would be held on March 28.

Prominent among those who had filed their nominations for Rajya Sabha include Samajwadi Party's national vice-president Janeshwar Mishra and former UP advocate general Virendra Bhatia, BJP national general secretary Vinay Katiyar, senior BJP leader Kalraj Mishra and industrialist Sudhanshu Mittal who is contesting as an independent.