The nomination of Congress candidate and former MLA Md Mottakin Alam was narrowly saved following a direct intervention by the Supreme Court. Chief Justice Surya Kant had ordered the Tribunal to settle Mottakin’s application by noon, leading to a swift resolution that cleared the path for his candidacy.

The controversy erupted over alleged ‘logical discrepancies’ in his documents. Despite submitting his passport, PAN card, Aadhaar, and educational certificates, authorities flagged inconsistencies in his father’s name across various IDs. Furthermore, an unusual objection was raised regarding the 50-year age gap between Mottakin and his father, which was used as a basis to stall his nomination.

However, the Tribunal found no merit in these objections. It observed that since the Voter ID number remained consistent across all records dating back to 1971, minor variations in spelling were inconsequential. Regarding the age gap, the Tribunal delivered a stern verdict: authorities have no jurisdiction to question or judge the age of a voter’s parents, and such grounds cannot be used to strike a name off the electoral roll. This legal victory ensures that the former Manikchak MLA remains in the electoral fray, much to the relief of the Congress camp.