High court seeks Election Commission's reply on advocate's plea to file her nomination

The Delhi High Court today sought a response from the Election Commission of India (ECI) on a plea by a lady lawyer who alleged she was prevented from filing her nomination paper for coming Lok Sabha polls by an on-duty policeman outside the office of the Returning Officer.

Justice Sudershan Kumar Misra issued a notice to the ECI, Delhi government, Returning Officer of East Delhi constituency, Deputy Commissioner of Police (East district) and sought their responses by the next date of hearing on March 26.

He, however, declined to grant the interim plea of the petitioner, advocate Shamshravish Rein, that her nomination papers be accepted by the ECI, saying "I am not inclined to interfere with the electoral process which ex-facie has already commenced."

The court also directed preservation of the video recordings, if any, of the events of the day outside the office of the RO.

Earlier during the day, she had mentioned the matter before a bench of acting Chief Justice B D Ahmed and Justice S Mridul who said courts cannot interfere in the matter and she should file an election petition.
However, the bench directed the matter be listed before the appropriate court today itself.