AGENCIES / NEW DELHI
The Supreme Court on Monday refused to entertain a PIL seeking a direction to political parties that they do not field candidates who have more than two children.
The PIL was filed by BJP leader and lawyer Ashwini Upadhyay. A bench, headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi, said the lawyer’s representation on two-child norm is pending for consideration before the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Election Commission.
The lawyer told the bench that authorities would be reluctant to entertain his representation if the plea was dismissed.
According to the plea, the two-children norm may be used as a restriction in the Election Symbols Order of 1968 which deals with the recognition of national and regional political parties.
The plea said, non-compliance of the norm should lead to the withdrawal of citizens’ statutory rights, including the right to vote and contest elections.