The Telangana High Court on Saturday disposed of the writ appeal filed by the State Election Commission (SEC) by asking a single judge to hear the commission’s contentions on its circular declaring ballot papers with ‘distinguish mark’ as valid.
The SEC moved the appeal by moving a House Motion challenging the single judge order suspending the circular issued by it. A Bench of Chief Justice Raghvendra Singh Chauhan and Justice B. Vijaysen Reddy heard the appeal. Senior counsel G. Vidyasagar Rao, appearing for the SEC, requested the Bench to direct the single judge to take up its petition as the first case on Monday.
Earlier the SEC issued a circular on Thursday, a day before counting of votes for GHMC elections, directing the poll officials to treat all ballot papers having ‘distinguish mark’ other than arrow cross-mark (swastik symbol) stamp as valid. Two persons belonging to BJP moved a House Motion in HC challenging the circular.
A single judge suspended the circular after hearing the contentions of the SEC and the petitioners, instructing the SEC to file a detailed counter affidavit on the matter. The SEC filed an appeal by way of House Motion questioning the single judge order.
The Division Bench, declining to pass any direction over the writ appeal, asked the single judge to hear the SEC’s contentions by taking up their petition as the first case on Monday.
