AAP MLA Manoj Kumar sentenced to three months of jail for obstructing 2013 Delhi assembly polls

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) legislator Manoj Kumar has been sentenced to three months in jail for causing an obstruction in the election process at a polling station in the Kalyan Puri area in East Delhi during the 2013 assembly polls.

However, Kumar was granted bail after he paid a bail bond of Rs 10,000 which entitled him to challenge an order in a superior court. The bail was processed by Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Samar Vishal. 

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On June 11 Kumar was convicted for obstructing a public servant in charge of public functions which is a punishable offence under the IPC section 186. In addition, he is also booked for disorderly conduct in or near polling stations, which falls under section 131 of Representation of the People Act.

The case was lodged on the basis of a  complaint regarding hindrance in the election process being created by over 50 protesters, led by the then AAP candidate Kumar, at the main gate of an MCD school, during 2013 Delhi assembly elections, which caused problems to the voters. The protestors had put a blockade and closed the main gate of the school which forced the police and election staff to remain locked inside the school premises. The police also said that due to the actions of the protestors, the polling process was impacted. It also caused hindrance for the polling agents who were engaged in their duty. 

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Apparently, Kumar also asked his fellow protestors to prevent the staff from taking away the ballot boxes as he sat right in front of the main gate once it was closed. Kumar's actions caused a major delay and the boxes had to be taken from a secondary school gate. 

Even so, Kumar has maintained that the case has been politically motived and hence used against him.