Delhi HC fixes hearing of plea seeking deregistration of SAD

The Delhi HC has fixed February 25 as the date for hearing of the plea of the Hoshiarpur based social activist; the counsel for the activist told the court that the matter needed to be decided urgently in view of Punjab assembly elections

Hoshiarpur Allowing the application of Hoshiarpur-based social activist Balwant Singh Khera for urgent hearing of a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by him, seeking directions to the Election Commission (EC) to set aside the registration of Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) as a political party, the Delhi high court on Thursday fixed the hearing for February 25, 2022.

The plea seeking the deregistration of SAD filed by a Hoshiarpur based social activist alleges that party had obtained its registration through forgery. (HT photo)

The matter came up before the bench comprising chief justice DN Patel and justice Jyoti Singh during which Khera’s counsel Indira Unniayar argued that a matter of urgent public interest was being adjourned repeatedly, whereas in view of the upcoming elections in Punjab and the ill health of the petitioner who had been fighting the case since 2004, it needed an urgent hearing.

She urged that unless this matter was duly considered and decided in accordance with the settled law in an expeditious manner well before the next elections in Punjab, the SAD which had allegedly obtained its registration through forgery, would yet again, get the freedom to participate in elections.

In his PIL, Khera has alleged that the SAD gave fraudulent undertaking of ‘secularism’ to the ECI to seek registration as political party whereas it openly aligned with one religion and contested gurdwara elections.

Unninayar informed the court that the record pertaining to the case had been complete since 2018, yet it was pending for adjudication.