Delhi HC seeks EC's reply on Azad's plea seeking time reduction to invite objection to his party
Oct 07, 2020
New Delhi [India], October 7 : The Delhi High Court on Wednesday issued a notice to Election Commission (EC) on a petition filed by Bhim Army Chief, Chandra Shekhar Azad seeking a direction to the EC to reduce the time for inviting objections to his political party 'Azad Samaj Party (Kanshi Ram)' from 30 days to 7 days in the in wake of upcoming Bihar Assembly polls.
A single-judge bench of Justice Jayant Nath asked the EC to file a reply on the petition filed by Chandra Shekhar to register the political party in the proposed name as 'Azad Samaj Party (Kanshi Ram)' and to allot the symbol for the party.
Meanwhile, Election Commission's counsel said that 30 days period is mandatory and it will file a counter-reply to the plea. Thereafter, the court listed the matter for October 20.
In his plea filed through advocate Mohan Shyam Arya, Chandra Shekhar told the court that the workers of his party are making sincere efforts to participate in the Bihar Assembly Elections and bye-election in other states.
"But if the process period of 30 days for inviting objection is not reduced, the petitioner may not be permitted to participate in Assembly elections of Bihar," the plea said.
The petitioner filed an application, on March 16, before EC, and in pursuant to the letter dated August 4, to remove certain objection, the petitioner completed all the requirements of the respondent finally on August 13.
As per the direction of the respondent EC, he also got published, public notices for inviting objections within 30 days, to his party name, in two national and two local newspapers (Hindi and English) on September 25 and September 26 consecutively but Election Commission announced assembly election for Bihar on September 25.
Chandra Shekhar, in his plea, sought to register his party prior to filing the nomination to the Assembly Elections of Bihar and by-polls of Uttar Pradesh and to allot a symbol to contest the forthcoming election.
