HC bench quashes Single judge order on poll agents time limit

Hyderabad, June 29 (UNI) The Andhra Padesh High court today overruled a Single Judge's order quashing the State Election Commission's (EC) direction that the list of polling agents should be furnished at least one day before the date of poll.

Hearing an appeal by the EC against the order of the Single Judge, Mr Justice P S Narayana, the Bench Comprising Chief Justice Mr G S Singhvi and Mr Justice G V Seetapathi allowed the EC's plea for making mandatory submission of list of polling agents at least one day before the date of poll, taking into view administrative problems faced by it during the first phase poll yesterday.

Consequently, SEC directed the Returning Officers to instruct the Presiding Officers to accept the list of polling agents by the contesting candidates upto 1100 hrs on June one, for the June 2 second phase elections.

The EC initially issued directions for submission of polling agents to the Returning Officers concerned at least three days before the date of poll and these directions were quashed by the Single Judge.

In the meantime, on a request from parties, the EC modified the direction, setting a deadline of one day prior to polls for the purpose, which was also quashed by the Single Judge.

It may be recalled that the same single Judge had quashed the election notification on the ground that there were discrepencies in the voters list. However, the same Division Bench had suspended the single Judge's order on an appeal by the EC and the State Government, clearing the decks for the two-phase polls.

UNI SM AA AK RL VV1915