Election of prez: SC says no to pleas on vailidity

One-liner: The SC on Wednesday refused to entertain two separate pleas challenging the validity of a legal scheme envisaging that a candidate for election of the President must be subscribed by at least 50 MPs or MLAs as proposers and 50 as seconders.

Separate pleas: A vacation bench was hearing separate pleas filed by Delhi resident Bam Bam Maharaj Nowhattia and Dr Mandati Thirupathi Reddy, a native of Prakasam district in Andhra Pradesh on the issue.

Contention: The petitioners said Section 5 B (1) (a) of the Presidential and Vice-Presidential Elections Act, 1952, bars a person from contesting the presidential polls if the candidature is not signed by 50 lawmakers as proposers and 50 as seconders respectively.

Seasonal activist: While dealing with the petition of Nowhattia, who has been unsuccessfully attempting to contest presidential polls since 2007, the bench termed him as a seasonal activist who wakes up after every five years to contest the election.

Direction to counsel: The bench asked the counsel of Nowhattia to withdraw the petition, saying it may take up the legal aspect at an appropriate time when there is no issue pending.

Election on July 18: The 16th presidential election is scheduled for July 18 and the counting of votes will take place three days after the polling.

Bottom line: Draupadi Murmu and Yashwant Sinha are contesting for the top post as candidates of the ruling NDA and the opposition parties led by the UPA respectively.

Source: PTI