New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday rejected a plea challenging the Election Commission's decision to hold the West Bengal Assembly polls in eight phases, initially telling the Delhi lawyer Manohar Lal Sharma, who filed the petition, to approach the Calcutta High Court.
Sharma, in his petition, had pointed out that while the elections scheduled around the same time in two other states, Kerala and Tamil Nadu and one Union Territory, Puducherry are being held in a single phase, the elections in another state, Assam is slated to be held in 3 phases.
Thus holding elections for West Bengal alone in 8 phases, Sharma claimed, is a violation of right to equality under Article 14 of the Constitution.
"There is no law has been framed yet empowering the election commission to adopt an unequal treatment of election among the 5 states as per their whim. Conducting election in 8 phases while other states in 1 phase especially when West Bengal has not facing any terrorist attack or under disputed war zone. It’s a clear case of violation of Art 14 of the Constitution of India," the plea said.
