ASUTOSH PUROHIT Vs. INDIAN RED CROSS SOCIETY

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Petitioner being a member of the Indian Red Cross Society, Branch Khargone has filed the present petition being aggrieved by the notice dtd. 13/1/2022 whereby the election of the Red Cross Society has been postponed due to increase in the number of patients of Covid-19/Omicron and implimentation of sec. 144 Cr.P.C.

(2.) The grievance of the petitioner is that the aforesaid step has been taken on the basis of the letter written by Member of Parliament. It is submitted that now the election has been rescheduled on 10/2/2022 with the changed voter list. It is submitted that once the voter list has already been finalized as per the earlier election schedule then there is no reason to change the voter list. The petitioner has made a representation/complaint to the Collector and thereafter filed the present petition before this Court.

(3.) It is not in dispute that in the month of January, 2022 the cases of Covid-19/Omicron were increased in the State of M.P due to which sec. 144 Cr.P.C has been imposed. Since the lections involved gathering of number of persons, therefore, a decision has been taken to postpone the election. According to the complaint by the petitioner, the first voter list was affixed in the premises of Collectorate and thereafter the final voter list was published and affixed on 24/12/2021 and there is no discrepancy in respect of name of Vikram Chouhan. The election programme was declared and according to which the voting was scheduled on 14/1/2022 and that has been postponed vide impugned notice. After 14/1/2022 there is no allegation that the voter list has been changed, therefore, now only the voting is going to take place and there is no new voter list after 13/1/2022, hence no case for interference is made out as new date has been fixed for voting. Any objection in respect of voter list can be raised after the election is over. No interference is called for once the election has been declared. The petition is dismissed.