AP High Court Not to Intervene in EC’s Directive on Postal Ballots

Vijayawada: The Andhra Pradesh High Court has refused to intervene into Election Commission’s recent directive on the validity of postal ballots.

The court suggested to the petitioner, YSRC general secretary Lella Appireddy, to look for alternative platforms with regard to the postal ballots issue, including by filing election petitions.

The two-judge division bench comprising Justices Mandava Kiranmayee and Nyapathi Vijay did not entertain Lella Appireddy’s plea that the EC’s directive with regard to postal ballots is illegal and must be declared void.

The Election Commission had issued a directive on May 30 stating that Form 13A, where the attesting officer as authorised by the constituency’s returning officer puts his signature identifying the elector casting his / her postal ballot but has not mentioned his name and designation or put his seal, be considered valid when postal ballots are being counted.”

The court agreed with the EC counsel’s arguments that courts were not supposed to interfere once the election process had begun. The court said as the counting of postal ballots will also be considered for poll results, the petitioner can file an election petition, instead of approaching the High Court.