To prove non-withdrawal of Sehajdhari notification,Centre files affidavit

Rajiv Attri,under-secretary in the home ministry,had come to the high court on September 1 — the day Harbhagwan Singh made the statement before the full bench — and handed over the affidavit to Onkar Singh Batalvi,counsel for the Centre,which justified the rules framed to hold SGPC elections.

After handing over the affidavit,Attri reportedly returned.

The affidavit filed by the MHA reads,“Once election process has already been commenced and almost complete. In the present instance,the election process has begun through compilation of voter list,and the last date of filing objection to the said voter list as per schedule already stands expired. The notification regarding the election schedule and the date of holding the election stands published and there is no merit for issuing interim directions in the present application.”

The affidavit further reads,“The contents of the petitions are vehemently denied. The respondents are holding elections to SGPC as per law. The entire process has been carried out according to law and procedure. The application (filed by the petitioners seeking stay on SGPC elections) may kindly be dismissed being devoid of merit.”

The full bench headed by Justice M M Kumar,on Tuesday,had directed the Central government and other respondents to file their written replies. The petitions challenging SGPC elections will come up for resumed hearing on September 13.