Delhi HC dismisses plea to bar MPs, MLAs from poll campaign

NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court today dismissed a petition seeking a direction to bar sitting Members of Parliament and Legislative Assemblies from participating in poll campaigns of their parties.

A bench of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C Hari Shankar said the petition was devoid of any merits.

"Clearly the writ petition has not provided any statutory provision. It is also not complained that any statutory right is violated," the bench said.

The petition had contended that ministers, MPs and MLAs are public servants and under the law, public servants are prohibited from participating in elections except to the extent of casting their vote.

Petitioner Mohan Singh Sharma, a retired sub-inspector, had said that after MPs and MLAs take oath, "it should be presumed that they will only work for the nation and not for any political party during their tenure".