Supreme Court refuses to cancel Karnal byelection

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, April 26

The Supreme Court today refused to stay a Punjab and Haryana High Court order upholding the decision to hold a byelection to the Karnal Assembly constituency, which fell vacant in March after the resignation of the then CM Manohar Lal Khattar.

“Your purpose was to stall the byelection… we will not allow that,” a Bench led by Justice Surya Kant remarked while dismissing the plea by one Kunal Chanana, who had challenged the April 3 decision of the high court.

The Bench, however, kept open the issue whether the byelection was necessary in view of the fact that the Assembly elections were less than a year away. Different high courts had divergent opinions on the issue, it noted. The petitioner had contended before the high court that the Election Commission could not hold the byelection because the current Haryana Legislative Assembly would complete its term in less than a year and elections were to be held in October.

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