SC, Centre spar over examining unopposed election of legislators

The Supreme Court and the Union government were at odds on Thursday on the issue of whether courts should examine the issue of “unopposed” legislators getting an easy walk-through into Parliament and assemblies as the top court said the issue raises an interesting question worth examining while the Centre dismissed it as an “academic” exercise not meriting interference by courts.

- Abraham Thomas

‘A bench headed by justice Surya Kant said, “This issue slightly appears to be an extension of the NOTA principle. If there is only one candidate and electors don’t want him to be elected through NOTA, that is a silent expression of the electorate which is an interesting question.”

The none of the above (NOTA) option is provided by the Election Commission (EC) for voters who do not choose to endorse their support to any of the candidates in the fray.