From Our Bureau
NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Wednesday refused to entertain two separate pleas challenging the validity of nominations for the President’s post based on 50 proposers and 50 seconders, who are MPs or MLAs as not a “healthy practice.”
A Vacation Bench of Justices Surya Kant and Jamshed Pardiala was hearing pleas of Delhi’s Bam Bam Maharaj Nowhattia and Dr Mandati Thirupathi Reddy, on the last day of nominations on Wednesday.
Nowhattia withdrew the petition after the Bench dubbed him as a “seasonal activist” who wakes up after every five years to contest the election since 2007 and telling him to take up the legal aspect “at an appropriate time when there is no issue pending.
“We will not keep it pending. If you want then we will decide today. We are not scared. We are not reluctant and we are not hesitant in deciding,” said the Bench leading to Nowhttia pulled out.
“Your first representation was in 2007 and for the next five years, you were in some kind of hiding. Whenever the Presidential election comes, you become active and that is why, I said he is a seasonal activist,” Justice Kant said, adding it would exemplary cost if such petitions are pressed to be heard.
In the second petition, Reddy alleged that he was not allowed to file the nomination papers for the presidential polls by the returning officer (Secretary General) at the Lok Sabha since he could not gather the required number of lawmakers as proposers and seconders.
The President is elected by the elected members of the Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha and the Assemblies. Presently the electoral college comprises 776 MPs and 4,123 MLAs.
