Overview

• Justice Sandeep Marne dismissed social activist Sudhir Jain’s petition against the 2024 Palghar Assembly result.
• Rajendra Gavit accurately listed both spouses’ PAN details and income-tax return status in his Form-26 nomination affidavit.
• The bench held that adding a column for a second spouse is a voluntary, truthful disclosure and not a ground to void an election under Section 100 of the Representation of People Act, 1951.
• The ruling noted Bhil tribal customs permit polygamy and that the Hindu Marriage Act’s restrictions do not apply to such communities.
• The court declined to probe the legal validity of Gavit’s second marriage at this stage, focusing solely on disclosure requirements.