Did Surat Election Violate Supreme Court's NOTA Verdict? Poll Body Replies
NDTV
Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar rejected Congress leader Jairam Ramesh's allegations that Home Minister Amit Shah called up district magistrates to intimidate them
The Election Commission can intervene if a candidate is pressured into withdrawing nomination, but not when it's consensual, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar said today. He was replying to a question on the poll body's decision to announce BJP's Surat candidate, Mukesh Dalal, elected after the Congress pick's nomination was rejected and the other candidates withdrew nominations.
The BJP's Surat win had sparked a massive row, with the Congress alleging that the ruling BJP in Gujarat used "wrong and undue influence" and pressured candidates into withdrawing nominations. Many others had pointed that not polling in the constituency was a violation of voters' right as he/she could also opt for the NOTA option.
At the poll body's press meet ahead of counting day, the Chief Election Commissioner was asked if its decision to declare a candidate elected unopposed was a violation of the spirit of the 2013 Supreme Court judgment on the NOTA option.
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