SC

AMN /

The Supreme Court today said, no politician can seek vote in the name of caste, creed or religion. The court’s observation came while it was hearing several petitions in the Hindutva case.

A seven-judge constitution bench, in a majority verdict, said any appeal for votes on the ground of religion amounts to corrupt practices under electoral laws. It said, the relationship between man and God is an individual choice and state is forbidden to interfere in such an activity.

The court further said, election is a secular exercise and its way and process should be followed. It said, secular ethos of the constitution must be upheld.

The court further said, election is a secular exercise and its way and process should be followed. It said, secular ethos of the constitution must be upheld.

The court said, a candidate will be disqualified if he or she was found violating the order.

The bench was hearing a batch of petitions including the one filed by Abhiram Singh whose election as an MLA in 1990 on BJP ticket from Santacruz Assembly seat in Mumbai was set aside by the Bombay High Court.

The apex court in February 2014 had tagged Abhiram Singh’s petition with others in which the five judge bench had decided in 2002 to re-visit its 20-year old ‘Hindutva’ judgement for an authoritative pronouncement on electoral laws by a seven-judge bench.