Gujarat HC rejects petitions of disqualified poll candidates

The Gujarat High Court rejected a set of petitions filed by five panchayat poll candidates, who have been disqualified by the returining officer according to a new act which makes it mandatory for all the candidates to have a toilet facility at their homes.
Pronouncing the verdict today, Justice C L Soni stated in his order that all petitioners were rightly rejected for not having toilets at their homes and all rules were followed by the State Election Commission in disqualifying them under the Gujarat Panchayat Act.
In 2014, Gujarat government amended the Gujarat Panchayat Act and made toilets at home compulsory for all candidates who wish to contest local body polls in the state, failing which, their nominations would be rejected.

Petitioners include Chuniben Nayak, Sukiben Nayak, Budhliben Nayika, Sanabhai Nayak and Manoj Nayak, who wanted to contest elections to become gram panchayat members of Jhapatia village of Dahod district.
To prove that they have toilets in their homes, these petitioners submitted a certificate issued by a village revenue officer to the returning officer, who also accepted these certificates.
However, on May 4, which was the last day of scrutiny, some villagers approached the officer and complained that none of them had toilets and so their nominations should be rejected.
During the arguments in the court, the Gujarat State Election Commission told the High Court that the returning officer asked the Taluka Development Officer to conduct an inquiry.

On May 5, an inspection carried out in the presence of all petitioners at their homes found that toilets were under construction, but not in use, due to which the returning officer rejected their nominations.