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Date of Decision: 17.10.2025
66010/2025 RATHINA SABAPATHI PRESIDENT PARTY FOR THE RIGHT
OF OTHER BACKWARD CLASSES .....Petitioner
Through: Mr. Raghaev, Adv.
Through: Mr. Sidhant Kumar and Ms. Shagun Chopra, Advs. for R-1
JUDGMENT
1. The present writ petition has been filed by the petitioner being a President of a political party, i.e., ‘Party for the Rights of Other Backward Classes’, seeking appropriate directions from this Court to respondent no. 1, i.e. Election Commission of India (“ECI”), for expeditious consideration and disposal of the petitioner’s application for registration of the said political party under Section 29A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951.
2. It is submitted that the petitioner’s party was constituted and officially adopted through a General Body Meeting held on 09th April, 2025 in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, wherein, the party name, constitution, objectives, and office bearers were unanimously confirmed. Thereafter, an application was duly submitted to the ECI on 29th April, 2025, seeking registration under Section 29A of the Representation of the Peoples Act, 1951.
3. The present petition has been filed on account of the fact that the state assembly elections in Tamil Nadu are likely to be announced in January,
2026. Thus, it is submitted that delay in registration might prevent the party from contesting the elections under a common symbol. In view of the said fact, the present writ petition has been filed.
4. Issue notice. Notice is accepted by learned counsel appearing for the respondents.
5. Learned counsel appearing for the respondents has handed over a copy of the letter dated 13th October, 2025, written to the Chief Electoral Officer, Tamil Nadu, which is reproduced as under:
6. By referring to the aforesaid letter, learned counsel appearing for the respondents submits that the ECI has already written to the Chief Electoral Officer, Tamil Nadu for the purposes of physical verification in terms of the aforesaid letter.
7. He submits that the requisite information has been requested within a period of thirty days, and the ECI is still awaiting the requisite information from the Chief Electoral Officer, Tamil Nadu.
8. At this stage, learned counsel appearing for the petitioner submits that the petitioner shall be satisfied, if directions are issued to the respondents to act in a time-bound manner.
9. Accordingly, it is directed that the respondents shall complete the verification process, expeditiously, preferably, within a period of six weeks, from today.
10. After the verification process, requisite action shall be taken by the respondents for the purposes of registration of the party in question.
11. With the aforesaid directions, the present writ petition, along with the pending applications, stands disposed of. MINI PUSHKARNA, J OCTOBER 17, 2025