Delhi HC to hear petition seeking Modi’s disqualification on April 29
The Delhi High Court is poised to address a petition on Monday, April 29, that calls for the disqualification of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a period of six years. The petition contends that he unlawfully sought votes by invoking Hindu and Sikh deities and places of worship.
Anand S Jondhale, a lawyer, has lodged the plea, urging the court to also bar Modi from soliciting votes based on religious entities or sacred sites. However, the proceedings encountered a delay as Justice Sachin Datta, assigned to preside over the case, was unavailable.
This petition arises from a speech given by Modi on April 9 in Uttar Pradesh, where he purportedly campaigned for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) by referencing Hindu and Sikh deities and places of worship, and made statements implying that opposition parties favored Muslims. Jondhale argues that such speeches, along with others delivered by Modi, could spark religious discord, thereby violating the Election Commission of India’s (ECI) Model Code of Conduct, in force for the period of the elections.
Jondhale claims to have previously lodged a complaint with the ECI, urging for Modi’s disqualification under the Representation of the People Act, 1951, for a duration of six years but asserts that no action has been taken thus far.
Given the timing of the prime minister’s speech, just ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, Jondhale underscores the urgency for the ECI to intervene promptly to ensure the integrity of the electoral process.
