New Delhi: Writ petitions have been filed in the Supreme Court seeking its intervention over the gathering of a large number of people inside the court premises after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and other INDIA bloc leaders entered the complex on Monday in connection with their proposed petition against the Election Commission of India's special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.
The matter was mentioned before a three-member bench, headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant, by senior advocates Gaurav Bhatia and Mahesh Jethmalani, who sought urgent listing. The CJI agreed to list the petitions on Thursday.
The petitions relate to the events of Monday evening, when Gandhi, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Karnataka CM DK Shivakumar, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, among others, entered the Supreme Court premises along with their supporters.
The gathering followed a march by INDIA bloc leaders against SIR and their move to challenge the poll panel's decisions before the apex court. The march was stopped by police barricades before the leaders could reach the court, but a petition challenging SIR was subsequently filed. The gathering inside the Supreme Court complex at around 7 pm on Monday led to a large crowd assembling within the premises, with reports of commotion.
INDIA bloc's separate petition challenges SIR and raises concerns over alleged irregularities in electoral roll revision and the exercise of powers by CEC Gyanesh Kumar. It seeks judicial intervention in the functioning of ECI and safeguards against arbitrary deletion of eligible voters.