Delhi HC seeks reply from Centre, ECI and Delhi govt on plea seeking to file nomination papers

The Delhi High Court on Monday asked the Centre, Election Commission of India (ECI) and Delhi government to file response on a plea of 11 people seeking to file nomination papers from New Delhi assembly constituency, from where Chief Minister and AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal is contesting.

The court will hear the matter on February 6.

A division bench of Chief Justice DN Patel and Justice C Harishankar also asked the Chief Electoral Officer and returning officer of Jamnagar House to file the reply on the plea.

Advocate Viplav Sharma, appearing for 11 petitioners, argued that the respondents "illegally arbitrary and malafidely" deprived the petitioners and many others to file their nomination by the election officer of New Delhi Assembly Constituency.

He also said that a single-judge bench without going into merits of the declined to entertain the said writ petition.

Sharma said that the 11 appellants were not questioning the elections but wanted to participate in the elections which were illegally arbitrary and malafidely prevented by election officer.

Eleven candidates, who were not allowed to file nomination papers, moved the Delhi High Court alleging that officials deputed at Jam Nagar Election Office have facilitated Kejriwal to walk inside the election office out of turn evading the queue while filing his nomination paper from New Delhi Assembly seat.

They have requested the Delhi High Court to issue a direction to poll panel to give them the shortest possible reasonable time to file their nomination papers again.

The petitioners including one Kiran Pal Singh Tyagi has also requested the court to hold an enquiry on the mode and manner the candidates were dealt with by the election officer and allowed out of turn entry of Arvind Kejriwal inside the election office.

Polling on 70 Assembly seats of Delhi will be held on February 8 and the counting of votes will take place on February 11.

( With inputs from ANI )