ASHWINI KUMAR UPADHYAY Vs. UNION OF INDIA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The petitioner has invoked the jurisdiction of this Court under Article 32 of the Constitution to challenge the constitutional validity of Sec. 33(7) of the Representation of the People Act 1951("Act of 1951").

(2.) Apart from the above challenge, the petitioner seeks a direction to the Central government and the Election Commission of India to take appropriate steps to restrict any person from contesting an election for the "same office" from more than one constituency simultaneously.

(3.) At this stage, it would also be material to note that the third prayer, prayer (c), which sought a direction to the Union government and the Election Commission "to take appropriate steps to discourage independent candidates from contesting the Parliamentary and Assembly elections" was rejected by an order of this Court dtd. 11/12/2017.