Fearing that the Election Commission’s decision to allow postal ballots during biennial Rajya Sabha elections on Friday would encourage large-scale cross-voting, Gujarat leader of opposition & Congress’ Paresh Dhanani rushed to the Apex Court on Thursday seeking quashing of the Election Commission notification of June 17.
Senior Lawyer A M Singhvi argued that the Election Commission’s decision to permit postal ballots would convert the open ballot system in Rajya Sabha elections into a secret ballot & nullify party whips to MLAs to cast their votes according to the party line. A bench of CJI S A Bobde & Justice Dinesh Maheshwari and Justice A S Bopanna was reluctant to entertain the plea saying the Court would not interfere in the election process once it has commenced.
The bench said, “Your best option is to file an election petition challenging the results of the RS polls".
However, A M Singhvi persuaded the bench to issue notice to the Election Commission on Dhanani’s plea even though it posted the case for hearing after July 6.
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