Democracy Still In Its Infancy, Can Only Hope Things Change: Madras HC Dismisses Plea Seeking ECI Campaign Against Caste & Religion Based Voting

The Madras High Court, while dismissing a petition seeking framing of a system to educate politicians and citizens against religion and caste based voting, has remarked that Indian democracy is still in infancy.

The Court was considering a Writ Petition seeking directions to the respondent to frame a system through which disseminates information to people and people representatives about the preamble, the 2017 judgment of the Supreme Court in the case Abhiram Singh vs. C.D. Commachen, and the corrupt practice under sec 123(3) of the Representation of the People Act, 1951.

The division bench of Justice R. Subramanian and Justice G. Arul Murugan observed, "In a vast country like ours, the change cannot be over night. Democracy, though is 75 years old, is still in its infancy. Therefore, we can only hope that things change at least after some time and the people concerned namely, the citizens as well as the politicians change and they do not adopt caste or religion as the basis for either contesting in the election or for their voting preferences."

The Petitioner Rajesh Anouar Mahimaidoss appeared in person while the Election Commission of India was represented by Advocate Niranjan Rajagopalan.

The Court took note of the counter-affidavit filed by Election Commission of India stating that it is doing its best to achieve optimum turn out in the elections and also to ensure that the campaign in the election is not based on religion and caste.

Cause Title: Rajesh Anouar Mahimaidoss vs. The Election Commission of India

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