Court Affirms Limits on Election Regulation Powers

The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court has made a significant ruling regarding election regulations. The court decided that neither individuals nor political parties can be outrightly prevented from contesting in elections purely due to caste or religion influence, asserting that existing laws do not provide such authority.

This ruling was delivered by a division bench consisting of Justice Rajan Roy and Justice A K Chaudhary while addressing a 2013 PIL by Motilal Yadav, which sought to curb caste-based rallies. The court clarified that any change in this stance falls under Parliament's jurisdiction, not within the purview of the Election Commission or the courts.

The judges emphasized that narrow-minded views rooted in caste and religion require broader societal change, calling for values-based education within homes and schools rather than relying solely on legal frameworks to effect change.