KOCHI: The Kerala High Court on Monday issued notice to Pala MLA Mani C. Kappan on a petition filed by businessman Dinesh Menon, seeking a declaration that Kappan is disqualified from continuing as MLA of the Pala constituency following his conviction in four cheque-dishonour cases connected to shares in Kannur International Airport.
The petitioner argued that the Additional Metropolitan Magistrate, Borivali, Mumbai, convicted Mani C. Kappan and sentenced him to three-and-a-half years’ imprisonment in each of the four cases, with no direction for the sentences to run concurrently.
The petitioner submitted that he filed a representation before the Speaker of the Kerala Legislative Assembly on September 9, but no action was taken.
The petitioner further argued that the conviction and sentence exceeded the two-year threshold prescribed under the Representation of the People Act, 1951, and that Kappan was therefore automatically disqualified. He contended that allowing a convicted person to continue as a legislator would directly violate constitutional provisions.
The court adjourned the hearing to September 22 and sought instructions from the government pleader.