The Supreme Court has set aside the August 5 notification of the election department of the Union Territory of Ladakh for the hill development council polls and ordered issuance of a fresh election schedule within a week.
As reported by PTI, A bench of justices Vikram Nath and Ahsanuddin Amanullah said, “Elections to any office/body are required to be free, fair and transparent. Elections lie at the core of democracy. The authority entrusted by law to hold/conduct such elections is to be completely independent of any extraneous influence/ consideration.” The top court declared that the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference party is entitled to the exclusive allotment of the ‘Plough’ symbol for candidates proposed to be put up by it.
Reacting to The NC symbol decision by SC , former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and National Conference Vice-President Omar Abdullah Tweeted
.@JKNC_ got the verdict we wanted & deserved. Our symbol, the plough, has been given to us by the Hon Supreme Court earlier this morning. The BJP, ably assisted by a totally biased Ladakh administration, did everything possible to deny us our right. The court saw through this &…
— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) September 6, 2023
While dismissing the appeal of the Union Territory administration against the August 14 order of the Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh High Court, the apex court imposed a cost of Rs 1 lakh to be deposited in the Supreme Court Advocates on Record Welfare Fund.
