New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday declined to entertain a plea seeking a direction to the Election Commission of India (ECI) to hold re-polling in certain booths of Bihar's Munger constituency.
A vacation bench of Justices S C Sharma and P B Varale said it is crucial for the petitioner to first approach the high court. "Why don't you go to the high court? The high courts are not closed in this country," said the bench. The counsel urged the court to examine the matter.
“Please go to the high court and argue all this before the high court.... sorry we are not touching it on merits" the bench told the petitioner’s counsel.
RJD candidate Kumari Anita claimed, in the petition filed through advocate Aljo K Joseph, that even though timely complaints were given to the concerned officials including the observers of the ECI and also to the district election officer, no action has been taken by them at any point. “When the petitioner candidate herself protested against such conduct of officials and followers of JDU. She has been brutally manhandled and suffered serious injury”, said the plea.
“Being a woman at that point in time she could not have done much but she has given detailed police complaints and also informed all the concerned authorities including the Chief Election Officer, Bihar, the District Election Officer, Munger, the observers those who have been appointed by the Election Commission of India”, added the petition.
The RJD candidate sought a direction to conduct re-polling in a total of 45 booths in Lukhisaraj, Mokana, Suryagarha constituencies in Bihar’s Munger Lok Sabha seat alleging “serious manipulation, booth capturing and rigging by JD(U) workers with the help of officials”
