Tripura HC rejects CPI(M), Cong pleas to allow online submission of nomination for panchayat polls

Agartala, Jul 18 (PTI) The Tripura High Court on Thursday rejected pleas filed by the opposition CPI(M) and Congress for allowing online submission of nominations in the panchayat elections in the state and extending its deadline.

A division bench of Justice Arindam Lodh and Justice Sabyasachi Datta Purakayastha heard the arguments of all sides and rejected the pleas.

The deadline for filing nomination papers ended on Thursday, while the election will be held on August 8.

Senior lawyer Purushottam Roy Barman, who represented the petitioners, submitted that they had approached the State Election Commission to allow online submission of nominations and an extension of the deadline as opposition candidates could not file their papers due to violence.

But, the SEC denied the request, he said.

Later, he told reporters that though the high court rejected the petitions, it asked the SEC and the state government to ensure free and fair elections.

"We knew the higher court had little scope to intervene when the election process has already begun, but the bench made significant observations in introducing online submission of nominations in the future, keeping in mind the advancement of technology," he said. PTI PS SOM