New Delhi: A plea has been filed in Supreme Court on Monday against Election Commission’s decision to conduct assembly elections in West Bengal over eight phases, citing violation of Article 14 (right to life) and Article 21 (right to life) of the Constitution.
The plea was filed by lawyer M L Sharma, which seeks the apex court’s direction to the poll panel to stop it from conducting eight-rounds elections in the state as it violates some parts of Indian Constitution.
On February 26, the Election Commission of India had announced the schedule list for upcoming assembly elections to be held in 5 states- West Bengal, Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and in Puducherry. While the Trinamool Congress Party-led West Bengal will have elections over eight phases from March 27-April 29, polling in Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry will be held in single phase on April 6 and in Assam over three phases.
The plea also seeks a direction to the CBI to register an FIR into the alleged chanting of religious slogans during electioneering in West Bengal, stating that the chanting of “Jai Shri Ram, other religious slogans are creating disharmony” and is an offence under the IPC and the Representation of the People Act, 1951.
“Whether using a provocative religious slogan ‘Jai Shri Ram’ is for electoral benefits as well as others is not violated S.123(3) & 125 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951,” read a section of the plea.
