EDISON, NJ – In a significant decision, the Superior Court of New Jersey, Middlesex County, under the direction of Hon. Michael A. Toto, has denied a request to halt the Democratic Primary Election process for the Township of Edison. This ruling represents a victory for mayoral candidate Lav Patel and his council running mates Jayesh Mehta, Ingrid Chen, and Anthony DeAmorin, whose names will now appear on the ballot for the June 10, 2025, primary election.
The ruling came only 11 days after Edison BOE member Anjana Patel accused Mayor Joshi of a “campaign of fear” and intimidation, amidst the escalating mayoral race and affirms the decision made by Municipal Clerk Cheryl Russomanno.
“Democracy was under attack, but truth prevailed, and arrogance was crushed” said Lav Patel. “In a desperate and disgraceful move to silence his opponents, Mayor Sam Joshi and his corrupt political machine tried to block my council team – Jayesh Mehta, Ingrid Chen, and Anthony Deamorin and I from appearing on the June 10th Primary ballot. His scheme failed spectacularly. The Superior Court of New Jersey in Middlesex County threw out every single one of their bogus claims, exposing the lengths Sam Joshi and his allies will go to hold onto power. The message is clear; Edison belongs to its people — not to corrupt politicians clinging to control” said Patel.
The case centered on claims of election misconduct brought by Plaintiffs Bimal Joshi the former Edison Democratic Chairman, Praful Vaid, Keeran Vaid, Ratilal Patel, and Chaitanya Wattamar, who alleged that the nominating petitions submitted by the Defendants contained substantial irregularities, including fraud and misrepresentation. These allegations were vigorously contested by the Defendants, who argued that the incumbent Mayor Sam Joshi was aggresively attempting to suppress competition.
In their challenge, the Plaintiffs, represented by Raj Parikh, a prominent attorney specializing in election law and advising political candidates and committees, sought to invalidate the petitions and remove the Defendants from the ballot.
Despite his impressive track record, which includes representing the New Jersey Democratic State Committee, the Democratic National Committee, and serving as lead counsel for high-profile campaigns like those of Senator Cory Booker and former Presidential Candidate Pete Buttigieg, attorney Raj Parikh failed to convince the court. As a result, Edison voters will proceed to the June 10th primary to decide between three candidates vying for mayor: incumbent Sam Joshi, Lav Patel, and Councilman Rich Brescher.
Councilman Rich Brescher, a candidate for mayor expressed his belief that “justice ultimately prevailed in this matter.” However, he strongly criticized Mayor Joshi’s actions, stating, “It appears Mayor Joshi was strategically employing high-priced political attorneys with the clear intention of delaying and drawing out the legal process to limit his competition. Elections should be decided at the polls, on election day, by the voters” said Brescher.
Judge Toto, in his ruling, found that while there were technical violations in the petition circulation process, there was no evidence of fraud or misrepresentation on the part of the Defendants. The court concluded that the petitions were valid, and the candidates’ names would remain on the ballot.
This decision allows the Democratic Primary Election to proceed as scheduled, ensuring that voters will have the opportunity to choose from a full slate of candidates, including Lav Patel, Jayesh Mehta, Ingrid Chen, and Anthony DeAmorin.
