‘Reject nominations sans bio-data’

Justice Kirbukaran while setting aside the election notification also observed that “The State Election Commission (SEC) shall follow its notification by suitably and strictly informing the election officers to reject the nomination of candidates who fail to file the affidavit.” 

He also noted that the direction is being given to ensure that criminal elements don’t hijack the local bodies. He said Article 243-K(1) of the constitution gives all powers to the SEC to not only conduct the election but also to see that criminal elements contesting the elections are prevented from entering local bodies in public interest. The other directions of the judge included uploading the affidavit of all the candidates on the SECs website, write to recognised political parties within four weeks asking them not to field and candidate with criminal back ground for the local body elections and decide about complaints regarding reservation, de-reservation of posts, deletion or addition of genuine eligible voters and enrolment of bogous voters before conducting the election after the issuance of fresh election notification.

The judge also kept the writ petition pending for passing further orders and directed the State as well as SEC to file action taken reports regarding compliance of the directions issued. The matter has been directed to be called in the first week of January.