SC refuses to entertain RJD candidate's plea alleging election rigging in Bihar’s Munger

New Delhi, May 31 (IANS) The Supreme Court on Friday refused to entertain a plea filed by an RJD candidate from Bihar alleging serious manipulation, booth capturing and election rigging in the Munger parliamentary constituency.

A vacation bench presided over by Justice S.C. Sharma asked the petitioner Kumari Anita to approach the jurisdictional high court with her plea seeking directions for re-polling at certain booths and removing the District Election Officer (DEO) from all administrative responsibilities.

“Why have you not gone to the high court? Please go to the high court. You can argue all this before the high court. We are not touching it (the petition filed directly before the apex court) on merits,” said the Bench, also comprising Justice P.B. Varale.

In response, the counsel representing the petitioner claimed that the high court was not entertaining the petition.

At this, the apex court said, “Where is the rejection order? No, very sorry. You cannot blame the high court like this. Without going to the high court, you are blaming the high court.”

Further, it asked the petitioner’s counsel if the petition be dismissed or if he would like to withdraw the plea filed directly before the apex court under Article 32.

Ultimately, the matter was dismissed as withdrawn with liberty to approach the jurisdictional high court.

In her plea, Munger’s RJD candidate alleged that though timely complaints were given to the officials concerned, including the observers of the Election Commission of India and also to the DEO, no action has been taken by them at any point.

When Kumari Anita herself protested against the conduct of officials and followers of JD(U), she was brutally manhandled and suffered serious injury, it added.

“Even though booth capturing and rigging happened on a massive scale at different places, no effective action has been taken and the administration is completely hand in glove with JD(U) candidate and the sitting MP Rajeev Ranjan @ Lallan Singh. It is a fact that the entire administration is in the control of the ruling party government and the sitting MP,” said the plea, filed through advocate Aljo K. Joseph.

Further, the plea alleged that the local administration was in complete coalition with the JD(U) candidate, was not acting in the interest of democracy and also was attempting to defeat the democratic process.

–IANS

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