The Supreme Court, in a Monday hearing, said it will scrutinise every decision of the Election Commission and strike down those that do not comply with the law.
Chief Justice Surya Kant, joined by Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana, delivered the verdict after petitions alleged that EC Chief Gyanesh Kumar had taken decisions without the two commissioners’ consent.
Despite the ruling, the bench declined to issue any interim order restraining the CEC from acting until the petition is decided, citing that it cannot rely solely on newspaper reports.
The court has previously annulled elections, such as Indira Gandhi’s 1975 win, which led to a six‑year ban, and the Kerala Assembly seats in 1977, 1982 and 2006, where corrupt practices were proven.
A voter in Theni filed a petition against O.P. Ravindranath Kumar’s 2019 victory, claiming concealed assets and bribery; the High Court set the result void, a stay that the Supreme Court has upheld.
The next hearing is scheduled for October, when the court will issue its final verdict on the petition challenging the Election Commission’s recent orders.