The Election Commission on Wednesday deferred its hearing of the office of profit case against Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on the request of the petitioner, the state Bharatiya Janata Party, officials said.
The hearing was scheduled for Wednesday, when the BJP’s lawyer sought more time to present additional information. The next hearing was then scheduled for August 5, an official said.
The EC, headed by Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar, had heard arguments by the BJP’s lawyer during the last hearing and had started hearing Mr. Soren’s lawyer when time ran out and the matter was adjourned till Wednesday.
The BJP had alleged Mr. Soren misused his office by allocating a mining lease to himself when he was the Minister in charge of mines in 2021.