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The Hindu Editorial • June 12, 2026 • Read Original

Lows of the land: On Meenakshi Natarajan’s Rajya Sabha nomination

The rejection of the papers of the Congress Rajya Sabha candidate is fraudulent

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The Hindu Read Original
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Analysis of editorial from The Hindu newspaper on June 12, 2026

Lows of the land: On Meenakshi Natarajan’s Rajya Sabha nomination

The rejection of the papers of the Congress Rajya Sabha candidate is fraudulent

Rajya Sabha ElectionMeenakshi NatarajanRepresentation of the People ActElection Commission of IndiaMadhya Pradesh Politics
Sentences
Sentence 1 of 17
English Original

The rejection of Congress leader Meenakshi Natarajan’s nomination for the Rajya Sabha election from Madhya Pradesh raises questions of institutional integrity and procedural fairness, going beyond the fate of a single candidate.

Simple Present S + V + O + Adjunct Main Clause Simple Sentence
Phrase Breakdown
Subject Who/What
The rejection of Congress leader Meenakshi Natarajan’s nomination for the Rajya Sabha election from Madhya Pradesh
The decision to refuse Congress leader Meenakshi Natarajan’s application to run for the Rajya Sabha election in Madhya Pradesh
Verb What is happening
raises
Brings up or causes people to ask
Object What receives action
questions of institutional integrity and procedural fairness
Doubts about the honesty of official systems and whether the correct, fair rules were followed
Adjunct Additional info
going beyond the fate of a single candidate
Affecting more than just what happens to this one person running for election
Context and Background
Rajya Sabha Election Process in India

The Rajya Sabha (Council of States) is the upper house of India’s Parliament. Members are elected by the elected members of State Legislative Assemblies through a system of proportional representation by means of a single transferable vote. The Returning Officer (RO), appointed by the Election Commission, is responsible for conducting the election and scrutinizing nomination papers.

Sentence 2 of 17
English Original

The Supreme Court has agreed to hear the matter on Friday.

Present Perfect S + V + O + Adjunct Main Clause Simple Sentence
Phrase Breakdown
Subject Who/What
The Supreme Court
The highest judicial court in India
Verb What is happening
has agreed
Accepted the request
Object What receives action
to hear the matter
To listen to arguments and make a decision on the case
Adjunct Additional info
on Friday
On the specific day scheduled for the hearing
Sentence 3 of 17
English Original

Meanwhile, all three BJP candidates have been declared elected unopposed, raising further questions on the neutrality and fairness of the process.

Present Perfect Passive Adjunct + S + V + C + Adjunct Main Clause Simple Sentence
Phrase Breakdown
Adjunct Additional info
Meanwhile
At the same time that other events were happening
Subject Who/What
all three BJP candidates
The three contestants from the Bharatiya Janata Party
Verb What is happening
have been declared
Have been officially announced by the election authority
Complement Completes meaning
elected unopposed
Won the election without a vote because no other candidate was running
Adjunct Additional info
raising further questions on the neutrality and fairness of the process
Causing more doubts about whether the election officer acted without bias and in a just manner
Context and Background
Elected Unopposed in Rajya Sabha

In Rajya Sabha elections, if the number of validly nominated candidates is equal to or less than the number of vacant seats, the candidates are declared elected unopposed under Section 53 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, without the need for actual voting.

Sentence 4 of 17
English Original

Ms. Natarajan’s nomination was rejected by the Returning Officer (RO) following objections that she had failed to disclose a pending criminal case in Hyderabad in her election affidavit.

Simple Past Passive S + V + Adjunct + Adjunct Main Clause Complex Sentence
Phrase Breakdown
Subject Who/What
Ms. Natarajan’s nomination
The official proposal and papers of Meenakshi Natarajan to contest the Rajya Sabha election
Verb What is happening
was rejected
Was turned down or disqualified by the authority
Adjunct Additional info
by the Returning Officer (RO)
By the government official in charge of overseeing the election process and checking nomination papers in the constituency
Adjunct Additional info
following objections that she had failed to disclose a pending criminal case in Hyderabad in her election affidavit
After opponents complained that she omitted details of a pending court complaint in Hyderabad in her formal sworn statement
Context and Background
Election Affidavit in India

Under Section 125A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, and Supreme Court rulings, every candidate contesting elections must file an affidavit (Form 26) disclosing their assets, liabilities, educational qualifications, and criminal antecedents. Filing false information or concealing facts can lead to rejection of the nomination or up to six months of imprisonment.

Sentence 5 of 17
English Original

As the All-India Congress Committee (AICC) in-charge of Telangana, she was named as one of the respondents in a private complaint filed by a former Telugu Desam Party corporator before the court of the Additional Metropolitan Magistrate, Hyderabad, in 2025.

Simple Past Passive Adjunct + S + V + C + Adjunct Main Clause Simple Sentence
Phrase Breakdown
Adjunct Additional info
As the All-India Congress Committee (AICC) in-charge of Telangana
Due to her official role in supervising the Congress party’s affairs in the state of Telangana
Subject Who/What
she
Meenakshi Natarajan
Verb What is happening
was named
Was listed or identified by name in the document
Complement Completes meaning
as one of the respondents
As one of the defendants who has to respond to a petition or court complaint
Adjunct Additional info
in a private complaint filed by a former Telugu Desam Party corporator before the court of the Additional Metropolitan Magistrate, Hyderabad, in 2025
In a court case filed directly to the metropolitan judge in 2025 by a former local council member of the TDP
Context and Background
Private Complaint vs. Police FIR

Under Section 200 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), a private complaint is filed directly before a Magistrate by an individual, alleging an offence. In contrast, a conventional police case starts with a First Information Report (FIR) registered at a police station under Section 154 CrPC, followed by a police investigation.

Sentence 6 of 17
English Original

The complaint was not even against Ms. Natarajan; it was against another Congress leader for alleged inappropriate behaviour and criminal intimidation, and she was mentioned in the petition for allegedly not taking appropriate action against the leader.

Simple Past (S + V + C) + (S + V + C) + (S + V + Adjunct + Adjunct) Main Clause Compound-Complex Sentence
Phrase Breakdown
Subject Who/What
The complaint
The legal accusation filed in the court
Verb What is happening
was
Existed as
Complement Completes meaning
not even against Ms. Natarajan
Did not accuse or target Meenakshi Natarajan at all
Subject Who/What
it
The complaint document
Verb What is happening
was
Existed as
Complement Completes meaning
against another Congress leader for alleged inappropriate behaviour and criminal intimidation
Targeted a different Congress politician for reportedly misbehaving and threatening someone
Subject Who/What
and she
And Meenakshi Natarajan
Verb What is happening
was mentioned
Was named or included
Adjunct Additional info
in the petition
In the written request presented to the court
Adjunct Additional info
for allegedly not taking appropriate action against the leader
For supposedly failing to take proper disciplinary steps against the accused leader
Sentence 7 of 17
English Original

There is no criminal FIR by the Telangana police against Ms. Natarajan.

Simple Present Adjunct + V + S Main Clause Simple Sentence
Phrase Breakdown
Adjunct Additional info
There
An introductory word used to state the existence or non-existence of something
Verb What is happening
is
Exists
Subject Who/What
no criminal FIR by the Telangana police against Ms. Natarajan
Any formal criminal complaint registered by the Telangana state police force against Meenakshi Natarajan
Sentence 8 of 17
English Original

Unlike a conventional police case, a private complaint originates directly before a court.

Simple Present Adjunct + S + V + Adjunct Main Clause Simple Sentence
Phrase Breakdown
Adjunct Additional info
Unlike a conventional police case
In contrast to a standard criminal case that begins with the police registering a complaint
Subject Who/What
a private complaint
A petition submitted by a citizen directly to a judicial magistrate
Verb What is happening
originates
Begins or has its starting point
Adjunct Additional info
directly before a court
Straight to the judge in a court room without going to the police first
Sentence 9 of 17
English Original

The court had issued notices to the persons named in the complaint, including Ms. Natarajan.

Past Perfect S + V + O + IO Main Clause Simple Sentence
Phrase Breakdown
Subject Who/What
The court
The Metropolitan Magistrate court in Hyderabad
Verb What is happening
had issued
Had officially sent out under the court’s authority
Object What receives action
notices
Official legal announcements or summons telling people they are mentioned in a case
Indirect Object To/For whom
to the persons named in the complaint, including Ms. Natarajan
To all the people mentioned in the TDP corporator’s petition, which included Meenakshi Natarajan
Sentence 10 of 17
English Original

The RO’s decision to use this as grounds for the rejection of the nomination reeks of extreme arbitrariness, and even a conspiracy.

Simple Present S + V + O Main Clause Simple Sentence
Phrase Breakdown
Subject Who/What
The RO’s decision to use this as grounds for the rejection of the nomination
The decision of the election officer to reject the candidate’s papers based on the Hyderabad complaint
Verb What is happening
reeks of
Strongly suggests or shows clear signs of something improper or corrupt
Object What receives action
extreme arbitrariness, and even a conspiracy
Complete lack of fair rules, and possibly a secret plan to unlawfully exclude the candidate
Sentence 11 of 17
English Original

The law regarding the disclosure of cases is unambiguous.

Simple Present S + V + C Main Clause Simple Sentence
Phrase Breakdown
Subject Who/What
The law regarding the disclosure of cases
The legal rules governing what court cases a political candidate must report
Verb What is happening
is
Is or exists as
Complement Completes meaning
unambiguous
Perfectly clear and leaving no room for confusion or multiple interpretations
Sentence 12 of 17
English Original

Section 33A of the Representation of the People Act requires disclosure only of those cases that carry a punishment of two years or more and, above all, only of those cases in which charges have been framed.

Simple Present S + V + O Main Clause Complex Sentence
Phrase Breakdown
Subject Who/What
Section 33A of the Representation of the People Act
The specific legal clause in India’s election law that decides what criminal history a candidate must declare
Verb What is happening
requires
Makes it mandatory or demands by law
Object What receives action
disclosure only of those cases that carry a punishment of two years or more and, above all, only of those cases in which charges have been framed
Revealing only court cases where the jail term is two years or longer, and most importantly, only cases where the judge has officially decided there is enough basic evidence to hold a trial
Context and Background
Section 33A of the RPA, 1951

Section 33A was inserted into the Representation of the People Act, 1951, following the Supreme Court’s landmark judgment in 2002 (Union of India v. Association for Democratic Reforms). It requires candidates to disclose whether they are accused of any offence punishable with imprisonment for two years or more in a pending case in which charges have been framed by a court.

Sentence 13 of 17
English Original

A candidate is not required to disclose cases at the stage of a private complaint or when notices have been issued.

Simple Present Passive S + V + C + Adjunct Main Clause Complex Sentence
Phrase Breakdown
Subject Who/What
A candidate
A person contesting an election
Verb What is happening
is not required
Is not bound by law or has no obligation
Complement Completes meaning
to disclose cases
To declare or list criminal cases in their official papers
Adjunct Additional info
at the stage of a private complaint or when notices have been issued
When a case has only been filed directly by a citizen in court or when the court has only sent out initial notices to hear the matter
Sentence 14 of 17
English Original

In rejecting the nomination, the RO has clearly overstepped his authority, acted as a judge, and usurped the power of judicial review.

Present Perfect Adjunct + S + V1 + O1 + V2 + C2 + V3 + O3 Main Clause with coordinate predicates Simple Sentence
Phrase Breakdown
Adjunct Additional info
In rejecting the nomination
By making the decision to disqualify the candidate’s papers
Subject Who/What
the RO
The Returning Officer overseeing the election process
Verb What is happening
has clearly overstepped
Has obviously exceeded the limits of what they are allowed to do
Object What receives action
his authority
The legal power and rights given to his office
Verb What is happening
acted
Behaved or performed a role
Complement Completes meaning
as a judge
Like a judicial officer who has the power to decide cases and make final rulings
Verb What is happening
and usurped
And wrongfully or illegally took control of
Object What receives action
the power of judicial review
The constitutional authority of the higher courts to check if administrative decisions are legal
Context and Background
Judicial Review in India

Judicial review is a core feature of the Indian Constitution (specifically Articles 13, 226, and 32), empowering the High Courts and the Supreme Court to examine the constitutionality of legislative acts and executive decisions. Administrative officers, like the Returning Officer, do not possess judicial review powers and cannot interpret laws in a judicial capacity.

Sentence 15 of 17
English Original

It is not for an executive officer to expand the scope of a disqualification provision.

Simple Present S + V + C Main Clause Simple Sentence
Phrase Breakdown
Subject Who/What
It
The dummy pronoun representing the action of expanding legal terms
Verb What is happening
is
Is or exists as
Complement Completes meaning
not for an executive officer to expand the scope of a disqualification provision
Not the job or duty of a government administrative officer to make the rules for disqualifying candidates wider
Sentence 16 of 17
English Original

By declaring the BJP candidates elected unopposed, the RO has created a situation that is difficult to reverse, even if the Supreme Court rules in Ms. Natarajan’s favour.

Present Perfect Adjunct + S + V + O + Adjunct Main Clause Complex Sentence
Phrase Breakdown
Adjunct Additional info
By declaring the BJP candidates elected unopposed
Through the action of officially declaring the BJP contestants as winners without holding any voting
Subject Who/What
the RO
The Returning Officer
Verb What is happening
has created
Has caused to exist or brought about
Object What receives action
a situation that is difficult to reverse
A state of affairs that is very hard to change back to the original form
Adjunct Additional info
even if the Supreme Court rules in Ms. Natarajan’s favour
No matter if the highest court decides in favor of Ms. Natarajan’s petition
Sentence 17 of 17
English Original

If it does so, it would be a moral and legal victory for the Congress leader, but the political damage has already been done.

Conditional and Present Perfect Passive (Adjunct + S + V + C) + (S + V) Compound-Complex Clause Compound-Complex Sentence
Phrase Breakdown
Adjunct Additional info
If it does so
If the Supreme Court decides in her favor and reverses the Returning Officer’s decision
Subject Who/What
it
The court’s positive decision
Verb What is happening
would be
Would result in being
Complement Completes meaning
a moral and legal victory for the Congress leader
A triumph based on right values and statutory law for Meenakshi Natarajan
Subject Who/What
but the political damage
However, the loss or harm done to her and her party’s political representation in the Rajya Sabha
Verb What is happening
has already been done
Has already occurred and cannot be reversed or undone
Sentence 1 of 17
Sentence 1 of 17
The rejection of Congress leader Meenakshi Natarajan’s nomination for the Rajya Sabha election from Madhya Pradesh raises questions of institutional integrity and procedural fairness, going beyond the fate of a single candidate.
Phrase Breakdown
Subject
The rejection of Congress leader Meenakshi Natarajan’s nomination for the Rajya Sabha election from Madhya Pradesh
The decision to refuse Congress leader Meenakshi Natarajan’s application to run for the Rajya Sabha election in Madhya Pradesh
Verb
raises
Brings up or causes people to ask
Object
questions of institutional integrity and procedural fairness
Doubts about the honesty of official systems and whether the correct, fair rules were followed
Adjunct
going beyond the fate of a single candidate
Affecting more than just what happens to this one person running for election
Sentence 2 of 17
The Supreme Court has agreed to hear the matter on Friday.
Phrase Breakdown
Subject
The Supreme Court
The highest judicial court in India
Verb
has agreed
Accepted the request
Object
to hear the matter
To listen to arguments and make a decision on the case
Adjunct
on Friday
On the specific day scheduled for the hearing
Sentence 3 of 17
Meanwhile, all three BJP candidates have been declared elected unopposed, raising further questions on the neutrality and fairness of the process.
Phrase Breakdown
Adjunct
Meanwhile
At the same time that other events were happening
Subject
all three BJP candidates
The three contestants from the Bharatiya Janata Party
Verb
have been declared
Have been officially announced by the election authority
Complement
elected unopposed
Won the election without a vote because no other candidate was running
Adjunct
raising further questions on the neutrality and fairness of the process
Causing more doubts about whether the election officer acted without bias and in a just manner
Sentence 4 of 17
Ms. Natarajan’s nomination was rejected by the Returning Officer (RO) following objections that she had failed to disclose a pending criminal case in Hyderabad in her election affidavit.
Phrase Breakdown
Subject
Ms. Natarajan’s nomination
The official proposal and papers of Meenakshi Natarajan to contest the Rajya Sabha election
Verb
was rejected
Was turned down or disqualified by the authority
Adjunct
by the Returning Officer (RO)
By the government official in charge of overseeing the election process and checking nomination papers in the constituency
Adjunct
following objections that she had failed to disclose a pending criminal case in Hyderabad in her election affidavit
After opponents complained that she omitted details of a pending court complaint in Hyderabad in her formal sworn statement
Sentence 5 of 17
As the All-India Congress Committee (AICC) in-charge of Telangana, she was named as one of the respondents in a private complaint filed by a former Telugu Desam Party corporator before the court of the Additional Metropolitan Magistrate, Hyderabad, in 2025.
Phrase Breakdown
Adjunct
As the All-India Congress Committee (AICC) in-charge of Telangana
Due to her official role in supervising the Congress party’s affairs in the state of Telangana
Subject
she
Meenakshi Natarajan
Verb
was named
Was listed or identified by name in the document
Complement
as one of the respondents
As one of the defendants who has to respond to a petition or court complaint
Adjunct
in a private complaint filed by a former Telugu Desam Party corporator before the court of the Additional Metropolitan Magistrate, Hyderabad, in 2025
In a court case filed directly to the metropolitan judge in 2025 by a former local council member of the TDP
Sentence 6 of 17
The complaint was not even against Ms. Natarajan; it was against another Congress leader for alleged inappropriate behaviour and criminal intimidation, and she was mentioned in the petition for allegedly not taking appropriate action against the leader.
Phrase Breakdown
Subject
The complaint
The legal accusation filed in the court
Verb
was
Existed as
Complement
not even against Ms. Natarajan
Did not accuse or target Meenakshi Natarajan at all
Subject
it
The complaint document
Verb
was
Existed as
Complement
against another Congress leader for alleged inappropriate behaviour and criminal intimidation
Targeted a different Congress politician for reportedly misbehaving and threatening someone
Subject
and she
And Meenakshi Natarajan
Verb
was mentioned
Was named or included
Adjunct
in the petition
In the written request presented to the court
Adjunct
for allegedly not taking appropriate action against the leader
For supposedly failing to take proper disciplinary steps against the accused leader
Sentence 7 of 17
There is no criminal FIR by the Telangana police against Ms. Natarajan.
Phrase Breakdown
Adjunct
There
An introductory word used to state the existence or non-existence of something
Verb
is
Exists
Subject
no criminal FIR by the Telangana police against Ms. Natarajan
Any formal criminal complaint registered by the Telangana state police force against Meenakshi Natarajan
Sentence 8 of 17
Unlike a conventional police case, a private complaint originates directly before a court.
Phrase Breakdown
Adjunct
Unlike a conventional police case
In contrast to a standard criminal case that begins with the police registering a complaint
Subject
a private complaint
A petition submitted by a citizen directly to a judicial magistrate
Verb
originates
Begins or has its starting point
Adjunct
directly before a court
Straight to the judge in a court room without going to the police first
Sentence 9 of 17
The court had issued notices to the persons named in the complaint, including Ms. Natarajan.
Phrase Breakdown
Subject
The court
The Metropolitan Magistrate court in Hyderabad
Verb
had issued
Had officially sent out under the court’s authority
Object
notices
Official legal announcements or summons telling people they are mentioned in a case
Indirect Object
to the persons named in the complaint, including Ms. Natarajan
To all the people mentioned in the TDP corporator’s petition, which included Meenakshi Natarajan
Sentence 10 of 17
The RO’s decision to use this as grounds for the rejection of the nomination reeks of extreme arbitrariness, and even a conspiracy.
Phrase Breakdown
Subject
The RO’s decision to use this as grounds for the rejection of the nomination
The decision of the election officer to reject the candidate’s papers based on the Hyderabad complaint
Verb
reeks of
Strongly suggests or shows clear signs of something improper or corrupt
Object
extreme arbitrariness, and even a conspiracy
Complete lack of fair rules, and possibly a secret plan to unlawfully exclude the candidate
Sentence 11 of 17
The law regarding the disclosure of cases is unambiguous.
Phrase Breakdown
Subject
The law regarding the disclosure of cases
The legal rules governing what court cases a political candidate must report
Verb
is
Is or exists as
Complement
unambiguous
Perfectly clear and leaving no room for confusion or multiple interpretations
Sentence 12 of 17
Section 33A of the Representation of the People Act requires disclosure only of those cases that carry a punishment of two years or more and, above all, only of those cases in which charges have been framed.
Phrase Breakdown
Subject
Section 33A of the Representation of the People Act
The specific legal clause in India’s election law that decides what criminal history a candidate must declare
Verb
requires
Makes it mandatory or demands by law
Object
disclosure only of those cases that carry a punishment of two years or more and, above all, only of those cases in which charges have been framed
Revealing only court cases where the jail term is two years or longer, and most importantly, only cases where the judge has officially decided there is enough basic evidence to hold a trial
Sentence 13 of 17
A candidate is not required to disclose cases at the stage of a private complaint or when notices have been issued.
Phrase Breakdown
Subject
A candidate
A person contesting an election
Verb
is not required
Is not bound by law or has no obligation
Complement
to disclose cases
To declare or list criminal cases in their official papers
Adjunct
at the stage of a private complaint or when notices have been issued
When a case has only been filed directly by a citizen in court or when the court has only sent out initial notices to hear the matter
Sentence 14 of 17
In rejecting the nomination, the RO has clearly overstepped his authority, acted as a judge, and usurped the power of judicial review.
Phrase Breakdown
Adjunct
In rejecting the nomination
By making the decision to disqualify the candidate’s papers
Subject
the RO
The Returning Officer overseeing the election process
Verb
has clearly overstepped
Has obviously exceeded the limits of what they are allowed to do
Object
his authority
The legal power and rights given to his office
Verb
acted
Behaved or performed a role
Complement
as a judge
Like a judicial officer who has the power to decide cases and make final rulings
Verb
and usurped
And wrongfully or illegally took control of
Object
the power of judicial review
The constitutional authority of the higher courts to check if administrative decisions are legal
Sentence 15 of 17
It is not for an executive officer to expand the scope of a disqualification provision.
Phrase Breakdown
Subject
It
The dummy pronoun representing the action of expanding legal terms
Verb
is
Is or exists as
Complement
not for an executive officer to expand the scope of a disqualification provision
Not the job or duty of a government administrative officer to make the rules for disqualifying candidates wider
Sentence 16 of 17
By declaring the BJP candidates elected unopposed, the RO has created a situation that is difficult to reverse, even if the Supreme Court rules in Ms. Natarajan’s favour.
Phrase Breakdown
Adjunct
By declaring the BJP candidates elected unopposed
Through the action of officially declaring the BJP contestants as winners without holding any voting
Subject
the RO
The Returning Officer
Verb
has created
Has caused to exist or brought about
Object
a situation that is difficult to reverse
A state of affairs that is very hard to change back to the original form
Adjunct
even if the Supreme Court rules in Ms. Natarajan’s favour
No matter if the highest court decides in favor of Ms. Natarajan’s petition
Sentence 17 of 17
If it does so, it would be a moral and legal victory for the Congress leader, but the political damage has already been done.
Phrase Breakdown
Adjunct
If it does so
If the Supreme Court decides in her favor and reverses the Returning Officer’s decision
Subject
it
The court’s positive decision
Verb
would be
Would result in being
Complement
a moral and legal victory for the Congress leader
A triumph based on right values and statutory law for Meenakshi Natarajan
Subject
but the political damage
However, the loss or harm done to her and her party’s political representation in the Rajya Sabha
Verb
has already been done
Has already occurred and cannot be reversed or undone

Reading Comprehension

Practice questions based on this editorial

Reading Comprehension - Meenakshi Natarajan Nomination

Practice reading comprehension questions based on the editorial about the rejection of Congress leader Meenakshi Natarajan's Rajya Sabha nomination papers.

5 Questions Passing: 70%

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