Plea to cancel AAP registration: High Court seeks clear answer from Election Commission

NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court today sought a "clear answer" from the Election Commission to issues raised in a plea for cancellation of AAP's registration on the ground that it allegedly used forged documents to register itself.

A bench of Acting Chief Justice B D Ahmed and Justice S Mridul did not issue notice in the matter and instead renotified it to March 21.

"We are not issuing notice. We are simply renotifying the matter to March 21. Give us a clear answer on all the issues raised in the petition," it said.

The court passed the order on the petition by Hans Raj Jain, who also sought directions restraining AAP from contesting the coming Lok Sabha elections till final disposal of the case.

Jain, who claims to have contested the Parliamentary elections in 1989 and 1991 from East Delhi, alleged the "registration of AAP was allowed (by the EC) in a hurried manner on the basis of false and fabricated documents without making any proper enquiries".

He also charged that "the ECI indulged in partiality under some inducement or undue pressure" as the registration of no other party had been allowed so quickly.

Jain alleged that there are discrepancies in residential addresses given by some AAP members in their affidavits when compared to the addresses given in their voter identity cards or income tax returns.

He also alleged that provisions of State Emblem of India (Prohibition of Improper Use) Act has been violated by AAP as its registration application contained the 'chakra' logo as depicted in the national flag.

He also sought a probe by a Special Investigation Team into the alleged forging and fabrication of documents by AAP while registering itself with the EC as a political party.

Jain further sought initiation of disciplinary action against officials concerned of ECI for allegedly failing to verify documents submitted by AAP members.