ALL INDIA ANNA DRAVIDA MUNNETRA KAZHAGAM Vs. CHIEF ELECTION COMMISSIONER ELECTION COMMISSION OF INDIA NEW DELHI

JUDGEMENT

(1.) DR. J.Jayalalitha, former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, and the General Secretary of All India Anna DRavida Munnetra Kazhagam with the allegation that A.I.A.D.M.K, a registered political party registered with the Election Commission of India has filed W.P.No.3346 of 2001 on 21.2.2001 seeking to issue a writ of prohibition or direction in the nature of writ prohibiting the Election Commission of India from using Electronic Voting Machines in the Constituencies in the ensuing General Elections to the Tamil Nadu State Legislative Assembly. A learned single Judge ordered notice on 22.2.2001 and further directed the Registry to place the matter before the First Bench as the matter involved public interest.

(2.) W.P.No.3633 of 2001 was filed on 23.2.2001 by one Haneefa, who alleges to be a businessman and manufacturer of electrical and electronic equipments, including electronic voting machines, praying to issue a direction to remove, strike and declare Sec.61-A of Representation of People Act, 1951 (hereinafter referred to as Act) as invalid and ultra vires the Act and Articles of the Constitution, and to direct the Chief Election Commissioner of India to forbear from using EVMs., in the ensuing Assembly Elections in four States viz., Tamil Nadu Pondicherry, Kerala and West Bengal.

(3.) SIMILARLY, W.P.No.4417 of 2001, W.P.No.4466 of 2001 and W.P.No.6039 of 2001 were filed on 5.3.2001, 5.3.2001 and 27.3.2001 respectively by the Pattali Makkal Katchi (P.M.K.), Indian National League and Communist Party of India, registered political parties, with the same prayer to forbear the Election Commission of India from using the Electronic Voting Machines in the ensuing general elections 2001 to be conducted for the Legislative Assembly Constituencies in Tamil Nadu and also in the Union Territory of Pondicherry, and in the Tiruchirapalli Parliament Constituency in Tamil Nadu.