New Delhi: The Supreme Court today refused to stay the Gujarat Congress' plea challenging the None of the Above (NOTA) option, making it clear that the upcoming Gujarat Rajya Sabha elections to three seats will be held with NOTA. A three-judge bench of the apex court, headed by Justice Dipak Misra, also comprising Justices AM Khanwilkar and Amitava Roy, refused to stay the plea filed by the Gujarat Congress challenging the NOTA option included in the Rajya Sabha polls. "We are not inclined to stay the NOTA option included in the Rajya Sabha election. We refuse to stay the EC notification," the bench of the apex court said.
The top court also issued notice to the Election Commission and sought a detailed response in two weeks from it on the plea filed by the Gujarat Congress. The Supreme Court also raised questions to the petitioner, Gujarat Congress: "Why you are so late in raising this question now, after the Election Commission had issued notification in January 2014 in this regard." Kapil Sibal, senior lawyer of the Supreme Court, appearing for the Gujarat Congress, told the three-judge bench of the apex court, that after the EC's notification in 2014, not even in a single election, NOTA has been exercised, so why now? The top court also raised a question on the arguments put forth by Mr Sibal: Why you are now opposing the NOTA option included in the RS Election." The apex court is now likely to hear the matter again on September 13, Wednesday. (UNI)