'Nobody Can Browbeat Judiciary': Supreme Court Raps Rahul Gandhi Over Protest March Against CEC Gyanesh Kumar

(MENAFN- Live Mint) The Supreme Court on Thursday sought response from the Election Commission and others on a plea filed by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and several other opposition leaders over alleged large-scale voter deletions and SIR irregularities.

The court also issued notice to Gandhi, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and others on a plea against their march to the apex court over alleged SIR irregularities, while observing that nobody can browbeat the judiciary, news agency ANI said.

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Taking up the plea filed by the opposition leaders, a bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi issued notice to the poll panel, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi. "We are issuing notice...Tagging with pending cases. But we would like to ask one of the petitioners about his conduct," the bench said.

Congress leader's march to SC

Quick answers to key questions

.4 QUESTIONS1What did Rahul Gandhi and other opposition leaders ask the Supreme Court to examine?⌵

They filed a plea alleging large-scale voter deletions and irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. The Supreme Court sought responses from the Election Commission and other officials.

2Why did the Supreme Court say nobody can browbeat the judiciary?⌵

During the hearing, lawyers referred to Rahul Gandhi and other opposition leaders marching to the Supreme Court over alleged SIR irregularities. The bench objected to the conduct of one of the petitioners and said the judiciary could not be pressured.

3Who received notices from the Supreme Court over the SIR plea and the march?⌵

The Court issued notices to the Election Commission, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi on the plea. It also issued notices to Rahul Gandhi, Akhilesh Yadav and others over the march.

4What did the Supreme Court do about the challenge to Jantar Mantar's removal as a protest site?⌵

The Court agreed to examine a plea challenging Jantar Mantar's de-notification as a designated protest site. It sought responses from the Union government and Delhi Police.

During the hearing, some lawyers referred to the Congress leader's march to the apex court over the alleged irregularities in SIR. "Nobody can browbeat judiciary. We are not sitting in ivory towers," the bench observed.

Referring to the unconditional apology tendered by Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan in a contempt matter, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta submitted that tendering unconditional apology does not mean that actions cannot be defended and said it is a part of procedure.

The bench told Mehta that it is not taking cognisance of media reports that authorities tendered unconditional apologies before the court.

The contempt case pertained to alleged violation of the apex court's direction to ensure no "complete prohibition" on Metro and train services in Delhi in the wake of the October 10 protest called by the Cockroach Janta Party.

The top court also issued notices to the Centre, others on various pleas related to the Election Commission filed by leaders like Asaduddin Owaisi.

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The apex court also agreed to examine a plea challenging de-notification of Jantar Mantar as designated protest site.

Gandhi and several other opposition leaders had marched to the apex court to file the petition related to SIR on Monday. The city has witnessed several protests demanding the resignation of the CEC over alleged irregularities in the SIR.

(With agency inputs)

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