Jabalpur (Madhya Pradesh): The Madhya Pradesh High Court on Wednesday granted two days’ time to the Election Commission of India (ECI) to file a reply on preparations for conducting by-polls in Madhya Pradesh.
The ECI is to conduct by-polls at one Lok Sabha and three state assembly constituencies in Madhya Pradesh.
Recently, a petition seeking not to conduct by-polls in Madhya Pradesh till the end of anticipated third wave of COVID-19 was filed in the court. The petitioner PG Nagpande, a member of Nagarik Upbhokta Mardarshak Manch cited the example of Damoh by-polls and apprised the court that COVID-19 positive cases across the country has once again started increasing.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice Mohammed Rafiq and Justice Vijay Kumar, while hearing the petition, has asked ECI to apprise the court about its preparations of conducting by-elections.
The ECI sought two days’ time to file a detailed report on preparations for by-polls. While granting time to ECI, the division bench scheduled the next hearing on August 22.
Notably, Khandwa Lok Sabha seat is vacant after the death of Nand Kumar Singh Chouhan. Similarly, Prithvipur, Jobat and Raigaon state assembly seats are vacant.
