NOTA in RS polls: SC agrees to urgently hear Congress plea

The Congress leaders on Tuesday approached the Election Commission over the matter.

The Congress party on Wednesday approached the Supreme Court over the 'None of the Above' (NOTA) option being made available in the elections to the Rajya Sabha. The apex court will hear the matter on an urgent basis on Thursday.

The Congress had termed the EC's notification that provides the MLAs the 'None of the Above' (NOTA) option for the election for the Upper House as 'unconstitutional'.

"We are surprised that EC took such an unconstitutional step. We'll talk about it in Court tomorrow," senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal told the media.

The Congress leaders on Tuesday approached the Election Commission over the matter.

In a petition to the Election Commission, the Congress said that making NOTA option available was contrary to the mandate of the Constitution, the Representation of People's Act, the conduct of election rules as also judgment of the Supreme Court, said reports.

The Rajya Sabha on Tuesday witnessed an uproar by the opposition over the EC notification.

Angry members of the Congress and other opposition parties forced adjournments of the proceedings as they questioned the NOTA provision for these elections.

Significantly, the protests come at a time when a high profile battle for Rajya Sabha seats from Gujarat is around the corner involving heavy-weights like BJP chief Amit Shah, HRD minister Smriti Irani and veteran Congressman Ahmed Patel.

OneIndia News