SC junks plea seeking bar on twin candidature in polls

SC junks plea seeking bar on twin candidature in polls

Subject: Polity

Section: Elections

Context: A PIL was filed to restrict a candidate from contesting the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections simultaneously from more than one constituency.

Details:

• The SC said in the absence of any manifest arbitrariness in Section 33(7) of the RPA, it was not possible to strike it down.
• SC observed that permitting a candidate to contest from more than one seat is a matter of legislative policy since it is ultimately the Parliament’s will as to whether the political democracy in the country is furthered by granting such a choice.
• Noting that candidates may contest elections from different seats due to a variety of reasons, the top court said it was for Parliament to decide if such a choice would further the course of democracy.

Why there is a demand to restrict candidates to one constituency?

• “One person, one vote” and “one candidate, one constituency” is the dictum of democracy. However, as per the law, as it stands today, a person can contest the election for the same office from two constituencies simultaneously