The Supreme Court on Friday refused to entertain a plea by a Rashtriya Janata Dal candidate seeking directions for re-polling in some booths in Bihar’s Munger Lok Sabha constituency, reported Live Law.
Lok Sabha elections in the Munger constituency were held in the fourth phase on May 13.
The petitioner, Kumari Anita, alleged that some booths in the constituency were captured by members of the Janata Dal (United), which is part of the ruling alliance in Bihar, with aid from government officials. Anita also claimed that voters from marginalised castes were prevented from casting their votes, reported Bar and Bench.
Hearing the case on Friday, a bench of Justices Satish Chandra Sharma and Prasanna B Varale said that the petitioner should have approached the High Court first.
The court ordered: “Present petition dismissed as withdrawn. Very sorry.”
Justice Sharma told advocate Aljo Joseph, appearing for Anita, that the court was not going into the merit of the plea.
“Where is the rejection order?” the judge asked. “Why don’t you go to the High Court? The High Courts are not closed in this country. Please go to the High Court and argue all this before the High Court.”
Anita had told the court that they had made representations before authorities, including the observers of the Election Commission of India and District Election Officer Avnish Kumar Singh. However, she did not receive any response.
The petitioner also alleged that she was manhandled by the members of Janta Dal (United) and some officials when she tried to protest against booth capturing.
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