S PARTHASARATHY Vs. ELECTION COMMISSIONER

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Writ petition has been filed praying for a mandamus directing the respondent to change the election date for the Madurai Parliamentary Constituency from 18.04.2019 to any other date.

(2.) Mr.S.Parthasarathy, a practicing advocate has filed this writ petition as public interest litigation. Petitioner has contended that the notification issued by the Election Commissioner, Election Commission of India, New Delhi, the respondent herein, in the matter of conducting the Lok Sabha election for Madurai Constituency has got a serious implication, because of the Chithirai Festival, which will take place on the date of polling, viz., 18.04.2019. It is submitted that election on the said date would affect the interests of the voters at large of Madurai Lok Sabha Constituency. He further submitted that the Respondent has announced the Poll schedule for the seventeenth Lok Sabha on 10.3.2019. As per the schedule national election will be held in seven rounds from 11 April and the results will be announced on May' 23. Tamil Nadu will go for voting in the general elections, in a single phase on April' 18. He submitted that the Polling date April' 18 fixed by the respondent for Tamilnadu coincides with the most celebrated religious Chithirai festival in Madurai. Chithirai festival in Madurai is among the world's longest annual celebrations and it lasts for about a month. It is a festival that is being celebrated since ancient times, and it has never failed to attract the attention of both national and international tourists. More than two lakhs of people gather here to celebrate this occasion.

(3.) Petitioner has highlighted the dates and events of Chithirai festival which is extracted below: