Supreme Court dismisses plea challenging EC's decision to Hold Polls in Eight Phases in Bengal

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Tuesday dropped the plea challenging the Election Commission's (EC) decision of holding the West Bengal Assembly Elections over eight phases.

In a petition filed by lawyer M L Sharma, the February 26 decision of the poll panel has been questioned which declared eight-phase polling in West Bengal as against three phases in Assam, and a single phase in the states of Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Union Territory of Puducherry.

The plea has sought the apex court's direction to challenge the EC from conduction an eight-phase poll in West Bengal, alleging violation of Articles 14 (right to equality) and 21 (right to life) of the Constitution.

The bench headed by Chief Justice S A Bobde dismissing the plea stated that it did not agree with the petitioner.

Apart for seeking a ban on holding the polls, the petitioner also highlighted the use of religious slogan by the Bhartiya Janata Party BJP during its election campaigns to seek votes.

Sharma in his petition questioned whether the use of provocative religious slogans should be treated as an electoral offence under the Representation of the People Act which does not permit a candidate or anybody associated with the election to promote feeling of hatred on grounds of religion, race, caste, community or language.

"Using the slogan 'Jai Shri Ram' is liable to be prohibited and whoever, individual or party or group of person of a party uses it prior to election or during election or thereafter must be prohibited to participate in election," Sharma stated in his petition.

The bench also comprising of justices A S Bopanna and V Ramasubramanian directed the petitioner to approach the High Court regarding this matter. Nevertheless, Sharma that the case is not of an election petition, and it cannot approach the High Court

Disagreeing over the petition the bench dismissed the case.

Elections to Bengal's 294-member Assembly will be held in eight phases on March 27, April 1, April 6, April 10, April 17, April 22, April 26 and April 29. The results to be declared on May 2.

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