E-Paper
PIL against caste-based rallies: Poll panel, Centre get six more weeks to file reply
The petitioner sought directives from the court to the poll panel to derecognise political parties that hold caste-based rallies
The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court has given six more weeks to the Election commission of India (ECI) and the Union government to reply on a plea related to the ban on caste-based rallies.
This order was passed by a division bench comprising justices Rajan Roy and Om Prakash Shukla on August 29, in response to a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by lawyer M L Yadav in 2013. The petitioner sought directives from the court to the poll panel to derecognise political parties that hold caste-based rallies. The court had also issued notices to four political parties--the BJP, the SP, the BSP, and the Congress.
On August 7, the court directed the senior counsel for the ECI to address the court on the next date as to what happens if a political party or a candidate was found to be violating the model code of conduct with regard to the prohibition of holding a caste-based political rally. “What action the Election Commission can take in this regard,” the court had asked. The court also directed him to file an affidavit (reply) in this regard by the next date. The central government has also been asked to file its response.
The court had also directed the petitioner to file a fresh affidavit bringing on record fresh data pertaining to the holding of such caste based political rallies by political parties in the last 10 years.
On August 29, the counsel for the ECI and the central government sought time to make the submission. The petitioner also sought time to comply with the order dated August 7 this year. Providing the required time to the parties, the court directed to list the matter immediately after six weeks. MANOJ KUMAR SINGH
