Fake degree row: Order on summoning Irani on October 1

TIL Desk/National/New Delhi-A Delhi court would next month decide on whether to summon Union Minister Smriti Irani on a complaint filed against her for allegedly giving false information regarding her academic qualifications in affidavits to the poll panel for contesting various elections. Metropolitan Magistrate Harvinder Singh, who was scheduled to pronounce the order today, fixed the matter for October one, saying the order was not ready.

The court had on September 3 reserved its order after hearing arguments advanced by complainant Ahmer Khan, a freelance writer, and going through the reports submitted by the Election Commission and the Delhi University regarding Irani’s educational degrees.

The court was earlier told by an official appearing for the poll panel that the documents filed by Irani regarding her educational qualification were not traceable. However, the information on this was available on its website, it had said.

In pursuance to the court’s earlier direction, DU had also submitted that the documents pertaining to Irani’s BA course in 1996, as purportedly mentioned by her in an affidavit filed during 2004 Lok Sabha elections, were yet to be found.