New Delhi: In a setback to Congress leader Hardik Patel, the Supreme Court today refused urgent hearing in his case seeking suspension of conviction in year 2015 Visnagar rioting case.

The Supreme Court is likely to take up Hardik’s plea for hearing on April 4. This is the last date of filing nomination for Lok Sabha election. Hardik wants to contest Lok Sabha election from Jamnagar seat as Congress candidate.

The government of Gujarat opposed urgent hearing in Hardik’s case.

The Supreme Court asked Hardik why did not he approach the court earlier. The court told him, ‘we can’t help you if you don’t help yourself.

The matter was mentioned for urgent listing before a bench headed by Justice Arun Mishra. The bench also comprising Justices M M Shantanagoudar and Navin Sinha told the counsel appearing for Patel that there was no urgency in hearing the matter as the high court order was passed in August last year.

“The order was passed in August 2018. What is the urgency now?” the bench said while refusing to accord urgent hearing on the petition, news agency PTI reported.

Hardik had moved the top court after the Gujarat High Court refused to stay his conviction.

DeshGujarat