The Supreme Court on Tuesday dismissed a petition seeking directions to the Election Commission of India (ECI) to de-register All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Musalimeen (AIMIM), a political party led by Member of Parliament (MP) Asaduddin Owaisi.
The Bench of Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymala Bagchi directed the petitioner to file a plea on the larger issue of political parties invoking communal statements.
The top court of the country observed that sometimes, regional parties invoked regional sentiment and caste issues, which were equally dangerous. Such issues could be raised without criticising anyone.
The petitioner then withdrew the plea with the liberty to raise “larger issues seeking reforms in the affairs of political parties on different grounds”.
Filed by Tirupati Narashima Murari, President of Shiv Sena’s Telangana wing, the petition challenged a Delhi High Court order rejecting an earlier plea against the registration of AIMIM as a political party by the ECI.
Murari argued before the High Court that AIMIM did not fulfil the conditions laid down in Section 29A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 as the constitution of AIMIM is intended to further the cause of only Muslims and thus militates against the principles of secularism.
The single-judge of the High Court held in 2024 that the relief sought by the petitioner was beyond the jurisdiction of the ECI.
A Division Bench in January this year upheld the ruling, after which the petitioner moved the Apex Court.