New Delhi, Nov 2 (UNI) The Supreme Court on Monday stayed the Election Commission's (EC) order of revoking "star campaigner" status of former chief minister and senior Congress leader Kamal Nath, even though campaigning for Madhya Pradesh by polls ended on Sunday.

"Prima facie, the EC didn’t have the power to do it. We stay the ECI order and we will hear the matter further later," a bench of the Apex Court, headed by CJI S A Bobde said.

Pulling up the poll body, the Top Court asked, "Who gives you the power to determine who is the leader of the party... We are staying this order. You have no power", CJI Bobde said. The EC, however, told the Court that it acted under the model code of conduct.

EC maintained that the matter is remediless since campaign is over. The Apex Court, in fact, sought the detailed response from the poll body on Mr Nath’s petition.

Kamal Nath had recently moved the Supreme Court challenging the order and decisions of the ECI to delist him as star campaigner for the Congress party for the state elections. The commission had found him guilty of violating the Model Code of Conduct during his campaign for the state bypolls.

Kamal Nath in his petition stated that the EC's decision to ban him from calling him as star campaigner in Madhya Pradesh for the Congress party, is a violation of his fundamental rights guaranteed under the Constitution of India.

UNI XC JAL 1841