The Delhi High Court on Friday declined to entertain a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking directions to the Election Commission of India to not utilise the service of village or ward volunteers and secretariats of Andhra Pradesh for preparing electoral roll and conducting elections.
The Public Interest Litigation (PIL) asserted that the aforesaid volunteers are the cadres of the ruling YSR Congress Party. A Division Bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora also rejected the contention that since Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jaganmohan Reddy is a party to dispute, it would be better if a neutral forum like Delhi High Court hears the matter.
Reports stated that the Public Interest Litigation (PIL) had been filed by an organization named Citizens for Democracy through its secretary N Ramesh Kumar, a former retired IAS officer and former State Election Commissioner. Additionally, the petition also sought action against the Andhra Pradesh government for alleged illegal collection of data of the people of state. It further alleged that the Andhra Pradesh government is using the data to add or delete people in the electoral roll.
The plea stated that the large numbers of the volunteer force at the rate one for every 50 households being involved in the election process and in voting would lead to an increased chance of post electoral violence, if the voting of the households under their watch do not take place in the predicted pattern.
The Delhi High Court bench heard the matter and held that the appropriate forum to deal with the Public Interest Litigation would be Andhra Pradesh High Court. The Delhi High Court also noted that the petitioner had earlier approached the Supreme Court with the plea.
The High Court underlined that in the order passed by the top court, liberty has been granted to the petitioner to approach the High Court. It noted that the Supreme Court order nowhere stated that it should be before the Delhi High Court.