The ruling YSR Congress party in Andhra Pradesh on Monday lost its last legal battle in the Supreme Court on the relaxation of certain rules in the counting of postal ballot papers in the state by the Election Commission of India.
The Supreme Court refused to entertain a petition filed by the YSRCP challenging the Election Commission of India's (ECI) relaxation of norms relating to the attestation of postal ballots in the state.
The division bench of the Supreme Court comprising justices Aravind Kumar and Sandeep Mehta, upheld the Andhra Pradesh high court's decision to not interfere with the ECI's directive, granting the state liberty to challenge the norms through an election petition post-results declaration, which is scheduled for tomorrow.
“In the facts and circumstances of this case, we do not find any merit in the petition,” the bench observed while dismissing the YSRCP's petition.
Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, representing the YSRCP, had argued that the ECI's circular issued on May 30 altered the rules concerning postal ballots exclusively in Andhra Pradesh.
According to the circular, Form 13A (the form used to request a postal ballot) could be accepted with only the signature of the attesting officer, even without the officer's name and designation and seal.
Singhvi contended that this change could lead to potential misuse, as any signature without proper identification could be forged.
He emphasised that postal ballots should be counted strictly per the Conduct of Election Rules, disregarding the ECI's May 30 circular, which he argued could not supersede established rules.
