Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)

Bengaluru, Sep 25: State chief electoral officer, Sanjiv Kumar, clarified on Monday, September 24 that the disqualified legislators and anyone else can file nominations for the assembly bypoll. However, their acceptance or otherwise will depend upon the Supreme Court verdict," he added. He was addressing a press meet here on Monday, September 24.

He said that some seem to have wrongly assimilated his statement in the matter, and insisted that he had never said that disqualified MLAs cannot enter election fray. Representatives of the election commission had appeared before the Supreme Court bench examining the petition filed by disqualified legislators and said that the commission does not have an objection to the disqualified MLAs fighting the bypoll.

"I have never said that the disqualified legislators are not eligible to fight the bypoll in accordance with the speaker's order. As the case is before the Supreme Court, my further clarification in the matter might be construed as contempt of court," he felt. He said that the decision on the acceptance or otherwise of the nominations would be taken by the respective returning officers. He said that it would be improper to discuss the issue as the court order is expected soon.

He also informed that the revision of voters list of graduates and teachers constituencies would be taken up from October 1 onward.