PIL seeking ban on Farooq, Omar, Mehbooba from LS polls dismissed

A plea seeking directions to the Election Commission of India (ECI) to ban Jammu and Kashmir politicians Farooq Abdullah, Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti from participating in the Lok Sabha elections was 'dismissed as withdrawn' by another bench of Delhi High Court on Friday. The petition filed by advocate Sanjiv Kumar was dismissed by a division bench of Justices Prateek Jalan and S Ravindra Bhat. However, the court has allowed the litigant to approach the ECI on the matter.

On April 10, the Delhi court had sent the plea to another bench for hearing. The PIL was filed on April 8 seeking a ban for the three leaders for their "seditious and communal" statements against the Constitution.The petition filed by Kumar alleged that the statements given by the three leaders were against the Constitution, adding that the court or the ECI should bar or impose conditions on their entry into the general elections.Seven-phase Lok Sabha polls have started on April 11 and will continue till May 19. The counting of votes will take place on May 23. .