Supreme Court Dismisses Petition Challenging 2019 Congress Manifesto For Lok Sabha Elections

The Supreme Court today dismissed a Public Interest Litigation filed challenging the Manifesto of the Indian National Congress(INC) of 2019 for the Lok Sabha polls. The Court found that the petition filed in 2019 which challenges the manifesto released by the Congress party for the parliamentary elections conducted in 2019 is misconceived and hence liable to be dismissed.

The Bench of Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, Justice PS Narasimha and Justice J.B. Pardiwala while considering the petition filed by Aadarsh Kumar Agarwal and Dr. Seema Jain noted that the petition alleges that the Manifesto of the Congress party for 2019's election was contrary to and in violation of the Model Code of Conduct. The plea further alleged that the manifesto released by the party was unfair.

Nobody appeared today on behalf of the Petitioners.

On February 14, 2020, the bench of then Chief Justice S.A. Bobde adjourned the petition on finding that the present petitioner-in-person was not given permission by the Registry of the Court to argue in person.

The plea filed by Adarsh Kumar Agrawal and Dr Seema Jain sought declaration that the manifesto of the Indian National Congress was "unfair and against the model code of conduct" and take appropriate action against the party in accordance with the Law.

The petition prayed for declaration as null and void, the seats won by the Congress party. Election Commission of India and Rahul Gandhi in the capacity of the President of the Indian National Congress were arrayed as Respondents in the PIL.

Cause Title: Adarsh Kumar Agrawal v. Rahul Gandhi & Anr.