KOCHI: The Election Commission (EC) deferred the notification for holding a by-election in the Lakshadweep island on Monday after considering the Kerala High Court order suspending the conviction of Lakshadweep MP Mohammed Faizal in an attempt to murder case.
Earlier, the Kavaratti sessions court had convicted four persons, including Faizal, for attempting to murder Congress leader Padanath Salih, the sonin- law of former Union minister P M Sayeed during the 2009 Lok Sabha polls. However, the HC suspended the conviction on January 25. “Not suspending the conviction of the second accused is drastic not only to the petitioner but also for the nation.
A cumbersome process of election will have to be started and its exorbitant cost will have to be borne by the nation and indirectly by the people of this country,” observed Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas in the order. The EC had submitted before the Supreme Court on January 27 that it will take note of the HC order and act in accordance. “After considering the matter, the EC has decided to withhold the bypoll and defer the issuance of notification for it,” said ECI secretary Sanjeev Kumar Prasad.