Puducherry Assembly polls | High Court disapproves of prohibitory order

'ECI may have primacy on conduct of elections yet it has to act reasonably and rationally'

The Madras High Court on Sunday disapproved of a prohibitory order passed by Puducherry Collector under Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (Cr.P.C.) The cour said there is no doubt that the Election Commission of India (ECI) has primacy on how to conduct elections and the control over law and order too passes on to the Commission during elections. However, just like any other authority, the Election Commission is also required to act reasonably, rationally and without the slightest hint of any bias on its part. After holding a special sitting to hear a public interest litigation petition filed by R. Rajangam, secretary, Communist Party of India (Marxist), Puducherry Pradesh Committee, the first Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice Senthilkumar Ramamoorthy disapproved of the prohibitory orders.