Supreme Court Issues Notices to EC and District Magistrate in Election Petition Dispute

The Supreme Court has issued notices to the Election Commission of India and the Gautam Buddha Nagar district magistrate over a plea challenging an Allahabad High Court decision. The plea, filed by Geeta Rani Sharma, contests the rejection of her nomination papers for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

The Supreme Court on Thursday issued significant notices to the Election Commission of India and the district magistrate of Gautam Buddha Nagar, acting on a plea against their removal as parties in an election petition, originally decided by the Allahabad High Court.

A bench led by Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna addressed the plea from Geeta Rani Sharma, who alleged her nomination for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections was wrongfully rejected. The court highlighted the high court's omission in keeping the district magistrate as a party in her challenge.

This legal contest, rooted in Section 100(1)(c) of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, questions election protocols following reported irregularities. The case underscores potential interpretative shifts in the law that could affect future election petitions in similar contexts.

(With inputs from agencies.)