On Monday (30th March) Supreme Court reserved its order on Bollywood star Sanjay Dutt's plea seeking suspension of conviction in Mumbai blasts case to contest Lok Sabha elections from Lucknow. Dutt moved the Supreme Court after he was named by the Samajwadi Party as its candidate for the general elections on March 5. Dutt can only contest the Lok Sabha polls if he gets a stay from the SC.

 

A bench consisting of Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan, Justice P Sathasivam and Justice R.M. Lodha reserved the verdict after hearing arguments from various parties, including Dutt's counsel Harish Salve and CBI counsel Additional Solicitor General Gopal Subramanium. The apex court is likely to announce its verdict in a day or two.

 

On July 31, 2007, Sanjay Dutt was sentenced to a jail term of six years for illegal possession of firearms. Under the Representation of the People Act, anyone sentenced to more than two years imprisonment is barred from contesting elections till a court of law stays the conviction and sentence. On November 27, 2007, Dutt was granted bail by the apex court. He is currently out on bail following his conviction in the blasts case and his conviction still stands.