On Tuesday, the Supreme Court recently declined to entertain a plea that sought directions for the Election Commission of India to disqualify PM Narendra Modi from elections for a period of six years.
The petitioner alleged that votes were sought in the name of religious deities and places of worship.
A bench presided over by Justice Vikram Nath addressed the petitioner’s counsel.
The bench indicated that it couldn’t entertain such a plea filed directly before the apex court under Article 32 of the Constitution. Instead, the petitioner should approach the relevant authorities, namely the Election Commission, first.
The bench, which also comprised Justice SC Sharma, expressed the option of allowing the withdrawal of the plea.
The petitioner’s counsel then sought permission to pursue the matter with the ECI, but this request was not granted.
Consequently, the apex court dismissed the petition as withdrawn.
The petitioner, identified as Fatima, a resident of Delhi, asserted her claim. She felt compelled to approach the apex court promptly due to the Election Commission’s purported inaction against the Prime Minister.
The plea alleged that PM Modi had not only solicited votes by invoking Hindu and Sikh deities and their places of worship but had also made remarks against opposing political parties, suggesting a bias towards Muslims.
This development follows a similar petition filed earlier in April, wherein the Delhi High Court dismissed a plea seeking PM Modi’s disqualification for allegedly soliciting votes for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) by invoking Hindu and Sikh deities and places of worship.
The Supreme Court’s decision underscores the procedural aspect of such matters. It emphasizes the necessity of approaching the appropriate authorities before seeking judicial intervention.
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