SC notice to Centre, EC on plea to nullify election result if maximum votes for NOTA

New Delhi, March 15

The Supreme Court on Monday sought response from the Centre and the Election Commission on a plea seeking to direct the poll panel to nullify an election result and conduct a fresh poll if the maximum votes are for NOTA in a particular constituency.

A bench comprising Chief Justice SA Bobde and Justices AS Bopanna and V Ramasubramanian issued notices to the Ministry of Law and Justice and the Election Commission of India while seeking their replies on the plea.

Senior advocate Maneka Guruswamy appeared for the petitioner.

The top court was hearing a plea filed by advocate and BJP leader Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay, which also sought a direction to the Election Commission to restrict those candidates and political parties, whose election has been nullified, from taking part in the fresh polls.

“The right to reject and elect a new candidate will give power to the people to express their discontent. If voters are dissatisfied with the background or performance of the contesting candidate, they will opt for NOTA (none of the above) to reject such candidate and elect a new candidate,” the petition said. PTI