The decision of Uttar Pradesh Governor T V Rajeswar to decline sanction for the prosecution of Chief Minister Mayawati in the Taj Corridor scam has been challenged in the Supreme Court.

The petitioner, Manzoor Ali Khan, in a writ petition filed through counsel D K Garg has contended the misuse of Section 19 of the Prevention of Corruption Act which according to him will virtually lead to the collapse of the system if not checked in time.

The petitioner has also alleged that in her affidavit in 2004 Mayawati stated that she had assets worth Rs 11 crore but in her nomination papers filed for the membership of UP Legislative Council she claimed to have assets worth Rs 52 crore.

According to the petitioner, Mayawati, being a school teacher, must be asked to explain how she has acquired those assets worth Rs 41 crore within 3 years.

Commenting on the decision of the governor, the petitioner alleged that it is a case of gross and blatant misuse of the provision of sanction. ''Despite the recommendation of the previous Mulayam Singh Yadav government for the grant of sanction for prosecution the governor had taken the decision to decline the sanction purely for political reason,'' he said.

The petitioner prayed to the court to summon the record regarding the governor's decision and quash it since it has been in violation of the Supreme Court's direction to the CBI to place the report of the investigation officer in Taj Corridor case before a competent court for consideration.