Election Petition. Person disqualified from contesting the elections can not maintain an election petition as “a candidate at such election”..”

Election Petition. Person disqualified from contesting the elections can not maintain an election petition as  “a candidate  at   such  election”

Saritha S Nair vs Hibi Eden. Special Leave Petition (Civil) 10678/2020 decided on 9 December 2020.

Judgment Link:

https://main.sci.gov.in/supremecourt/2020/4203/4203_2020_31_1501_25128_Judgement_09-Dec-2020.pdf

Relevant para: CONCLUSION 62. Therefore, in fine, we hold that the petitioner was disqualified from contesting the elections in terms of Section 8(3) of the Act. In such circumstances, she could not have maintained an election petition as  “a   candidate  at   such  election”  in terms of Section 81(1). Therefore, the High Court was right in not venturing into an exercise   in   futility,   by   taking   up   the   election   petition   for   trial.