SC junks Munger RJD candidate's repoll plea, asks to move Patna HC first

Lok Sabha Elections 2024

The Supreme Court on May 31 refused to entertain a plea by Kumari Anita, a candidate of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) from Munger in Bihar, seeking repoll in certain booths for alleged booth capturing in the Lok Sabha elections.

A vacation bench of justices Satish Chandra Sharma and Prasanna B Varale asked Anita to approach the high court, instead. "Without going to high court, you are blaming it. Please go to the HC," the court said.

On being asked why the plea was not filed in the high court and why they chose to approach the SC directly, the lawyer for the candidate said that the high court was refusing to take the plea. The apex court took a serious objection to this statement.

Eventually the RJD leader's lawyer subsequently withdrew the plea to approach Patna High Court.

In her plea, Anita contended that the Janata Dal (United) workers were making it difficult for some people to cast their votes, besides making it difficult for her to reach the polling booth and vote. She thus called for repolling in several booths of the Munger Parliamentary constituency in Bihar.

The plea also alleged that there were several instances of alleged election manipulation and booth capturing at the behest of state officials and the JD(U).

The plea also sought for the removal of the district election officer of Munger, Dr Avaneesh Kumar Singh, from all administrative responsibilities, since lower castes were allegedly stopped from voting.

Voting in Munger concluded on May 13 in the fourth phase of the Lok Sabha elections.