New Delhi, July 3 (IBNS): Nominations of both Presidential candidates Pranab Mukherjee and PA Sangma were accepted on Tuesday.
The objections stated by Sangma's group against the former Union Finance Minister's candidature for the upcoming Presidential election were rejected, media reports said on Tuesday.
United Progressive Alliance (UPA)'s Presidential candidate Mukherjee's nomination was accepted on Tuesday.
The Returning Officer accepted Mukherjee's nomination after scrutinizing important papers.
Sangma's nomination papers were also accepted on Tuesday.
Sangma's camp on Monday objected to Mukherjee's nomination for the election stating that the former Union Finance Minister is allegedly holding an office of profit.
Sangma’s election agent and Biju Janata Dal (BJD) MP Bhartrihari Mahatab said Mukherjee cannot contest the poll as he holds an office of profit as the Chairman of Kolkata's Indian Statistical Institute (ISI).
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Satpal Jain on Monday also raised objections and alleged that Mukherjee should not be allowed to contest the Presidential election for holding an office of profit.
He made a formal complaint to the Returning Officer for the Presidential election and demanded for the cancellation of Mukherjee’s nomination papers at the scrutiny stage, media reports said.
The Centre on Monday denied Sangma's claims and said Mukherjee did not hold any office of profit.
Rejecting the claim, Parliamentary Affairs Minister PK Bansal said that Mukherjee had resigned from the post a week ahead of filing his nomination.
"He (Mukherjee) had resigned as chairman, ISI, on June 20, a week before he filed his nominations," Bansal, the authorised representative of Mukherjee, was quoted as saying.
Sangma's candidature has been backed by several political parties including the BJP, the BJD and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK).
The electoral college vote for the Presidential election is scheduled to take place on July 19.
