EC accepts nomination of AAP RS candidate N D Gupta

New Delhi, Jan 8: The Election Commission (EC) on Monday accepted nomination of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Rajya Sabha candidate N D Gupta, which it had put on hold following Delhi Congress chief Ajay Maken's complaint that he was holding office of profit. 

"Nomination of AAP's RS candidate ND Gupta accepted. Congress's frivolous complaint dismissed," party's national spokesperson Raghav Chadha said in a tweet. 
On Saturday, Mr Maken had approached the poll panel seeking cancellation of Mr Gupta's nomination by alleging that he was holding 'office of profit' as Trustee of National Pension Scheme (NPS) and was not eligible for the polls as per the Constitution.
In his response to the returning officer’s notice on Mr Maken’s objections, Mr Gupta said he was appointed as a trustee of the NPS on March 30 last year but he resigned from the trust on December 29, way before the filing of his nomination.
Speaking on the matter, Delhi Congress chief Ajay Maken said, "ND Gupta going to Rajya Sabha was a foregone conclusion. We wanted to highlight that how AAP chose a BJP supporter and appointee to this plum 1.74 lakh crore trust, for Rajya Sabha? When both AAP/BJP, the State and Central Government are supporting-who will reject the nomination?."
Mr Gupta is one among the candidates fielded by AAP for January 16 biennial elections to the three Rajya Sabha seats for Delhi. The other two candidates are- former Congressman Sushil Gupta and senior party leader Sanjay Singh. The candidature of these candidates were cleared by the poll panel on Saturday. UNI