Kamal Nath moves SC against EC order revoking his 'star campaigner' status

New Delhi: Congress leader and former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath on Saturday moved the Supreme Court challenging an Election Commission order revoking his "star campaigner" status for violations of the model code during campaign for the bypolls in 28 Assembly constituencies in the state.

Besides seeking quashing of the EC's October 30 order, the Congress has sought framing of appropriate guidelines for speeches during campaigning by star campaigners or campaigners, "keeping in mind the right to freedom of speech and expression and concept of democratic elections".

Nath, who is currently the president of Madhya Pradesh Congress Committee, has said in his plea that the EC has passed the order without any notice or hearing him based on a complaint by the BJP against a speech delivered on October 13.

"It is submitted that the impugned order (of EC) is illegal, arbitrary, unreasoned, passed in complete violation of basic canons of natural justice and in negation of fair play and therefore, deserves to be quashed. Further, no notice has been issued to the petitioner (Nath) with regard to the impugned order in complete violation of principles of natural injustice," the plea, filed through advocate-on-record Varun Chopra, said.

While a political party pays for expenditure of a star campaigner, the candidate pays for expenditure of other campaigners.

Earlier in the day, senior lawyer and Congress Rajya Sabha member Vivek Tankha said the former Chief Minister has challenged the EC's decision on various grounds and an urgent hearing on his plea would be sought.

In his plea, Nath said that EC has passed the October 30 order and has revoked his name from the list of 'star campaigners' of the Indian National Congress on the ground of repeated violation of model code of conduct (MCC) and advisories of the poll panel.

It alleged that the order is completely unreasoned and passed without application of mind.