NEW DELHI, May 9: The Supreme Court will tomorrow hear Rashtriya Hindu Sena chief Pramod Muthalik’s plea alleging that the Congress party in its election manifesto in Karnataka was seeking votes in the name of religion.
A bench comprising Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud today agreed to hear Muthalik’s plea, which also sought directions to the Election Commission to delete the Congress party’s alleged appeal in its manifesto.
Advocate Vishnu Jain mentioned the matter for urgent listing and said there was a seven-judge bench judgment which prohibited seeking of votes in the name of religion.
The petition sought to treat the candidates of the Congress party as “disqualified” to contest the election and to strike off their names from the ballot papers.
“Issue a direction that Indian National Congress, by making an appeal on religious basis by issuing election manifesto of the party on April 27, 2018, for Karnataka Legislative Assembly, 2018, has violated the provisions of section 123(3) of Representation of People Act and all the candidates set up by the party has incurred disqualification to contest the said election,” the plea said.
The Rashtriya Hindu Sena chief also sought derecognising the Congress as a national party.
“Issue a direction commanding the Election Commission of India to exercise its powers and ensure that Indian National Congress deletes the appeal to vote on religious basis made under the heading ‘Social justice -strengthening the social fabric for smooth progress’ in sub-heading ‘ensure right to equality’ … Of the election manifesto…,” the plea said.
The Assembly election in Karnataka is slated for May 12 and the results scheduled to be announced on May 15. (PTI)
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