The Supreme Court disposed off a petition on Tuesday, which sought directions to the Election Commission to replace the party symbols on ballot and Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) with details of the contesting nominees, such as their age, educational qualification and photograph.
While dismissing the plea filed by BJP leader and Advocate Ashwini Upadhyay, the Bench of Chief Justice of India (CJI) U.U. Lalit and Justice Bela M. Trivedi noted that it cannot consider the case under Article 32 of the Constitution.
The Apex Court observed that polls were integrally connected to a political party, which backed a particular candidate. There was possibility of the candidate joining some other party after being elected, it added.
Representing the petitioner, Senior Advocate Vikas Singh contended that in the current scenario, the candidates were getting completely lost under the shadow of their parties.
Stating that such symbols brazenly violated equality, the Senior Advocate opined that this was the reason why Legislators with criminal cases against them had no hassles.
The petition was strongly opposed by Attorney General R. Venkataramani, who noted that EVM would come at the end of a polling process, what while voters chose their candidates much before that. He added that it was essential for an election nominee to disclose all his details beforehands.
The AG pointed at the petition calling the symbol as being a mischievous part and said the same was misconceived.
He further said that the petition can could have been considered, if it was based on larger questions over criminalisation of politics, but not on this point.
While disposing of the plea, the Apex Court directed the respondents to ensure that he petitioner’s representation in the matter was considered by the concerned authority.
Upadhyay had contended in his plea that the best solution to weed corruption and criminalisation in politics was to take off the political party symbols on ballot and EVMs and replace the same with details of the candidates, such as their age, educational qualification and photograph.