NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday suspended Madhya Pradesh’s high court order imposing various conditions for holding physical meetings by political parties to campaign in general assembly elections in the state.
The Electoral Commission (EC) had proposed to the SC challenging the order, saying that the holding of elections was in the exclusive jurisdiction of the electoral agency and that the higher court had no power to interfere.
However, the CV asked the EC to take appropriate measures in view of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The voting panel, which is empowered by the Constitution to make decisions to hold elections, has issued guidelines to allow limited political assemblies during the campaign.
The Gwalior court of the high court had imposed strict restrictions on the physical campaigns of candidates for the by-elections of the assembly in Madhya Pradesh in view of the pandemic situation.
The high court had said that political parties will have to obtain permission from the district collector to hold physical meetings and a certificate from the voting panel that virtual campaigns are not possible.
The 28-seat by-elections in Madhya Pradesh will decide the fate of the seven-month-old Shivraj Singh Chouhan government.
The Electoral Commission (EC) had proposed to the SC challenging the order, saying that the holding of elections was in the exclusive jurisdiction of the electoral agency and that the higher court had no power to interfere.
However, the CV asked the EC to take appropriate measures in view of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The voting panel, which is empowered by the Constitution to make decisions to hold elections, has issued guidelines to allow limited political assemblies during the campaign.
The Gwalior court of the high court had imposed strict restrictions on the physical campaigns of candidates for the by-elections of the assembly in Madhya Pradesh in view of the pandemic situation.
The high court had said that political parties will have to obtain permission from the district collector to hold physical meetings and a certificate from the voting panel that virtual campaigns are not possible.
The 28-seat by-elections in Madhya Pradesh will decide the fate of the seven-month-old Shivraj Singh Chouhan government.
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