Delhi HC issues notice to EC, Centre on reduction of Sikkim CM's disqualification period

New Delhi [India], Oct 22 (ANI): The Delhi High Court on Tuesday issued a notice on a petition challenging the order of the Election Commission (EC) which reduced the disqualification period of Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang by over five years.
Tamang was found guilty by a court of Sikkim for misappropriation of government funds. He was barred from contesting elections for six years after completing his one-year prison term in a graft case in 2018.
A division bench of Chief Justice D N Patel and Justice C Harishanker sought a response from the EC, Centre, Sikkim government and Tamang on a plea and slated the matter for December 24.
Dek Bahadur Katwal, the General Secretary of the Sikkim Democratic Front, in his petition contended that the EC had, one day before last of filing nominations, passed an order in favour of the Tamang and reduced the period of disqualification.
Katwal also sought a direction to declare Section 11 of the Representation of the People Act (RPA) ultra vires, unconstitutional, null and void and being violative of the Constitution.
Section 11 of the RP Act, 1951, had allowed the EC to reduce the disqualification period of the Chief Minister. (ANI)