<p style="text-align: justify;">A day after it questioned the functioning of the Election Commission of India, the Supreme Court today took note of the orders passed by the body against Mayawati and Yogi Adityanath.</p>.<p style="text-align: justify;">The Court thus observed that the Election Commission seems to have got back its powers.</p>.<p style="text-align: justify;">In a petition seeking directions to the Election Commission to take action against political leaders making appeals for votes on the basis of religion and caste, a Bench of Chief Justice of India <strong>Ranjan Gogoi</strong> and Justices <strong>Deepak Gupta</strong> and <strong>Sanjiv Khanna</strong> observed,</p>.<p style="text-align: justify; padding-left: 30px;"><em>“You seem to have got your powers back.”</em></p>.<p style="text-align: justify; padding-left: 30px;"><em>“We found we have powers”, </em>replied Senior Advocate <span style="color: #993366;"><strong>Aryama Sundaram,</strong></span> appearing for Election Commission.</p>.<p style="text-align: justify;">The Court recorded in its order that no further orders need to be passed at this stage.</p>.<p style="text-align: justify;">It, however, kept the petition pending, while giving liberty to the petitioner’s counsel <strong>Sanjay Hegde</strong> to approach the Court in case of future infractions.</p>.<p style="text-align: justify;">The Court had pulled up the Election Commission <span style="color: #993366;"><a href="https://barandbench.com/is-election-commission-of-india-toothless-sc/" rel="noopener" style="color: #993366;" target="_blank">yesterday for not acting against political hate speeches.</a></span></p>.<p style="text-align: justify;">The EC on its part had submitted that its powers were limited and it could not disqualify candidates.</p>.<p style="text-align: justify;">The Commission did, however, pass orders temporarily barring incumbent Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister <span style="color: #993366;"><a href="https://barandbench.com/eci-temporarily-bars-yogi-adityanath-mayawati-electoral-campaignaing/" rel="noopener" style="color: #993366;" target="_blank">Yogi Adityanath and the BSP’s Mayawati </a></span>from campaigning for the 2019 general elections on finding them guilty of having made polarising, communal speeches in violation fo the Model Code of Conduct (MCC).</p>.<p style="text-align: justify;">Meanwhile, Mayawati tried to intervene in the matter today, challenging the EC order against her.</p>.<p style="text-align: justify;">The Court, however, declined to hear her, remarking that she is free to file an appeal against the EC order.</p>.<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://bit.ly/2Tq7twI" rel="noopener" target="_blank"><span style="color: #993366;"><strong>Bar & Bench<span style="color: #000000;"> is available on <span style="color: #339966;">WhatsApp</span>. For real-time updates on stories, Click here</span></strong><span style="color: #000000;"><strong style="color: #000000;"> to subscribe to our WhatsApp.</strong></span></span></a></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">A day after it questioned the functioning of the Election Commission of India, the Supreme Court today took note of the orders passed by the body against Mayawati and Yogi Adityanath.</p>.<p style="text-align: justify;">The Court thus observed that the Election Commission seems to have got back its powers.</p>.<p style="text-align: justify;">In a petition seeking directions to the Election Commission to take action against political leaders making appeals for votes on the basis of religion and caste, a Bench of Chief Justice of India <strong>Ranjan Gogoi</strong> and Justices <strong>Deepak Gupta</strong> and <strong>Sanjiv Khanna</strong> observed,</p>.<p style="text-align: justify; padding-left: 30px;"><em>“You seem to have got your powers back.”</em></p>.<p style="text-align: justify; padding-left: 30px;"><em>“We found we have powers”, </em>replied Senior Advocate <span style="color: #993366;"><strong>Aryama Sundaram,</strong></span> appearing for Election Commission.</p>.<p style="text-align: justify;">The Court recorded in its order that no further orders need to be passed at this stage.</p>.<p style="text-align: justify;">It, however, kept the petition pending, while giving liberty to the petitioner’s counsel <strong>Sanjay Hegde</strong> to approach the Court in case of future infractions.</p>.<p style="text-align: justify;">The Court had pulled up the Election Commission <span style="color: #993366;"><a href="https://barandbench.com/is-election-commission-of-india-toothless-sc/" rel="noopener" style="color: #993366;" target="_blank">yesterday for not acting against political hate speeches.</a></span></p>.<p style="text-align: justify;">The EC on its part had submitted that its powers were limited and it could not disqualify candidates.</p>.<p style="text-align: justify;">The Commission did, however, pass orders temporarily barring incumbent Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister <span style="color: #993366;"><a href="https://barandbench.com/eci-temporarily-bars-yogi-adityanath-mayawati-electoral-campaignaing/" rel="noopener" style="color: #993366;" target="_blank">Yogi Adityanath and the BSP’s Mayawati </a></span>from campaigning for the 2019 general elections on finding them guilty of having made polarising, communal speeches in violation fo the Model Code of Conduct (MCC).</p>.<p style="text-align: justify;">Meanwhile, Mayawati tried to intervene in the matter today, challenging the EC order against her.</p>.<p style="text-align: justify;">The Court, however, declined to hear her, remarking that she is free to file an appeal against the EC order.</p>.<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://bit.ly/2Tq7twI" rel="noopener" target="_blank"><span style="color: #993366;"><strong>Bar & Bench<span style="color: #000000;"> is available on <span style="color: #339966;">WhatsApp</span>. For real-time updates on stories, Click here</span></strong><span style="color: #000000;"><strong style="color: #000000;"> to subscribe to our WhatsApp.</strong></span></span></a></p>