Eleven candidates move to Delhi HC after being allegedly denied to file nominations for Delhi polls

After being denied to file nomination papers for Delhi assembly polls, 11 people moved the Delhi High Court on Saturday, seeking an enquiry on the manner the candidates were dealt with by the election officer at Jam Nagar and allegedly allowed out of turn entry of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal inside the election office.

Eleven people have requested the Delhi High Court to issue directions to poll panel to give them time to file their nomination papers again.

The petitioners including one Kiran Pal Singh Tyagi, who has also requested the Delhi High Court to hold an enquiry on the mode and manner the candidates were dealt with by the election officer and allegedly allowed out of turn entry of Kejriwal inside the election office.

The plea was moved by advocate Viplav Sharma who has sought directions to concerned officials to make appropriate guidelines and to facilitate the smooth filing of the nomination papers by all candidates from all walks of Indian society.

The petitioner said, "Their nomination papers were wrongly, illegally, arbitrarily and unconstitutionally, rejected and thereby, they have been illegally and unconstitutionally deprived of their constitutional rights. Because the grounds of rejection of the nomination papers of the Petitioners are flimsy non-germane."

The petitioners told the court that in the wake of their democratic mind and a collective decision made thereunder pursuant to the movement "Chaloo Chunaav Laade' (Let contest elections) decided to individually contest the polls against the sitting Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and others.

On January 20, the said candidates reached with their filed nomination papers and supporting documents and security money (in cash) at the Election Office in Jam Nagar House and found a large number of candidates.

After seeing them, the election officials decided to issue token to all the candidates who had and would reach the election office. "As per the election rules, it is provided that it is mandatory for the election officer to receive the nomination papers of the candidates on the same day they reach the election office within the specified time," the petitioners said.Due to long queue, the petitioners could not file nomination and were asked to come again on January 21 for filing their nomination papers.

On January 21, the poll officials allegedly showed the serious prejudice of the petitioners upon the arrival of Kejriwal, who was taken in with the aid of the police force and the petitioners were forcibly thrashed away.

"When the said petitioner raised objections, the Election Officer not completely disregarded the same but also was intimated by the police force deployed thereat. It is a case of the petitioners that the token system which was adopted by the Election Officer on January 20 was cancelled by him for favouring Kejriwal," the plea said.