Gujarat Congress moves SC against use of NOTA in RS polls

Mangalore Today News Network

New Delhi, Aug 2 2017, DH News: Gujarat Congress on Wednesday approached the Supreme Court questioning the decision to introduce NOTA in Rajya Sabha polls scheduled on August 8.

Senior advocates Kapil Sibal and Vivek Tankha, both also Rajya Sabha MPs, mentioned the petition filed by Gujarat State Assembly chief whip before a three-judge bench presided over by Justice Dipak Misra.

They sought urgent hearing.

The court agreed to list the petition for hearing on Thursday, subject to its clearance by the SC registry.

Congress party has suffered desertion by a few MLAs just before the polls, making it difficult for senior Congress leader Ahmad Patel to retain the seat. The party was forced to fly its MLAs to Karntaka to avoid further dent into its strength.

In its petition, Congress legislature party chief whip Shailesh Parmar challenged the Election Commission notification of 2014 mandating for introduction of NOTA (None of the Above) in polls for the upper house.

Among others, the party sought stay of the notification.