Bombay High Court: Shinde’s Poll-Day Roadshow Not ‘Undue Influence’, Upholds MLA’s Election

The Bombay High Court dismissed a petition challenging MLA Dilip Lande’s election, ruling Eknath Shinde’s polling-day roadshow was not "undue influence."

Justice Somasekhar Sundaresan held that the petitioner failed to show how the roadshow disrupted the free exercise of electoral will.

While the court acknowledged a potential silent period violation, it clarified that "influence" alone is not "undue influence" under the Representation of the People Act.

The court also rejected claims of EVM tampering and affidavit errors, noting democratic outcomes should not be lightly interfered with without rigorous legal proof.

[Md. Arif Lalan Khan alias Naseem Khan v. Dilip Bhausaheb Lande & Ors.]