HC to hear PIL against post-poll alliances, but after LS polls

The Delhi High Court today agreed to hear a plea opposing the practice of forging post-poll alliances among political parties to gain power on the ground that electors are kept in the dark about the same.
A bench of acting Chief Justice B D Ahmed and Justice S Mridul listed the matter for hearing after the elections, saying there is "substance" in the contentions raised in the petition but it will not hear the matter now.
"It seems there is some substance in your petition but the fact of the matter is no actual situation is before us," the bench said, adding it may hear the matter after the conclusion of Lok Sabha poll process.

The court listed the matter for hearing on May 20, four days after the conclusion of the election process.
The court was hearing the plea of advocate Mithilesh Kumar Pandey who has challenged the "validity of post-poll alliances among political parties" on the ground that the same is a "breach of the promises made by them during the election campaigns".
Pandey has sought a direction "declaring unconstitutional the practice of post-poll alliances among parties which contested elections against each other".
"Issue directions preventing political parties from violating their own manifestos when such parties enter into post-poll electoral alliances in order to form a government," his petition also states.

It also states that the competent authority be directed to "take steps to make the manifesto a legally-binding document".