Plea by 11 Independent candidates against nomination rejection: HC seeks EC, Centre stand

The Delhi High Court on Monday (February 3) sought responses of the Election Commission (EC) and the Centre on a plea by 11 Independent candidates challenging rejection of their nominations for the upcoming Delhi Assembly polls.

A bench of Chief Justice D N Patel and Justice C Hari Shankar issued notices to the Centre and the EC seeking their stand on the candidates’ plea, which also challenges a single judge order declining to entertain their petition against rejection of the nominations.

The division bench said it will hear the matter on February 5.

The returning officer (RO) had rejected their nominations on the last date for filing the same. The plea challenging the rejection was dismissed by a single judge of the high court on January 28 by saying that only an election petition was maintainable after the poll process has started.