THANE: BJP corporator Ashok Raul was on Saturday disqualified by the district sessions court after it was proved that he had not disclosed information on his criminal past, as mandated by election rules.Joint civil judge S S Indalkar upheld claims by Raul's rival and Shiv Sena candidate, Mandar Vichare, who had had moved court immediately after the civic polls in 2017.Raul, who had rebelled from NCP and joined BJP, had won from ward 12-D, which is near Siddheshwar Lake in the Old City.Vichare, nephew of sitting Sena Member of Parliament Rajan Vichare , was trounced in the polls.While disqualifying Raul, the judge stated in the order that Vichare will be declared elected and represent ward 12-D for the remaining of the term.According to the petitioner Vichare, Raul had in his election declaration failed to mention the criminal case in his nomination form.Advocate Munir Ahmed, who appeared for Vichare, relied on Supreme Court directions that lay down that non-disclosure of criminal cases will entail disqualification and the court accepted it and disqualified Raul.He relied on a judgement in the case of Krishnamurty versus Shivakumar and others, where the SC had given the ruling on section 123(2) of Representation of People's Act, 1951.Raul told TOI, "I shall appeal against the order in the higher court as I feel there is an error in this court's order."Ashok Raul was disqualified as he did not disclose information on his criminal past, a district sessions court judge said. Raul, who had quit NCP to join BJP, said that he will appeal against the order in a higher court

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