Minister for Secondary Education K Parthasarathy might have filed an appeal against the economic offenses court’s judgement sentencing him to two months imprisonment, but he is facing the threat of being disqualified by the Election Commission of India for not disclosing about the case pending against him.

The EC on Thursday said it ordered the authorities concerned to look into the affidavit filed by the minister during 2009 elections and see whether he had suppressed any information about the case pending against him. The EC is acting on a petition filed by retired IAS officer E A S Sarma, who said Parthasarathy had not disclosed the FERA case against him in the affidavit. He argued that the inaccurate disclosure was punishable under the provisions of IPC and the election laws.

However, a close look at the affidavit says Parthasarathy might not get disqualified. In his affidavit, the minister made two disclosures: one, he was not accused of any offences punishable with imprisonment of two years or more in a pending case in which charges have been framed by the court; second, he had not been convicted of an offence other than under the People’s Representation Act, and sentenced to imprisonment of one year or more.

Both the statements made in the affidavit are correct, as Parthasarathy was accused in a case which got him only two months imprisonment. It means he had not suppressed any information with the EC. So, he is unlikely to get disqualified.