ELECTION COMMISSION OF INDIA versus STATE OF HARYANA

Citation: [1984] 3 S.C.R. 554 · Decided: 25-04-1984 · Supreme Court of India · Bench: Y.V. CHANDRACHUD · Disposal: Appeal(s) allowed

Cited by 1 judgment(s) · see the full citation network in Lexace

Judgment (excerpt)

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ELECTION 'co¥MISSlON OF IN'DlA 
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STATE OF HARYANA 
April 25, 1984 
[Y.V. CANDRACHUD;C.J., V.D. TULZAPURKAR, R.S. PATHAK, 
D.P. MAD<?N AND M.P. THAKKAR, JJ.] 
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·• • Practice & Proctdure-PaufiiJr of E;c.parte order3; by tlte' Courll m 3<>11ghi 
'lor by tlte parties .. -htn they give prior Intimation of the pre posed proc .. d/110! to thi 
opposit~ side without much lnconvellience or prejudice d1sappruv tel. 
Cotulilitlio•r o(lndia 1950 Article i36:_lntcr[er~nce by the Suprtmt CoMrl 
against an ad interim order poS1td hy the High Court. . 
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to fill i11the v.1c.tncy ari•iog from tbo setting aside or the elociioo of 
tbc returned candidate from the 59· Taoru ·Assembly Constituency ilt 
Jiaryaoa, by the Supremo Court, the Rppellaot'Commission sent 'a mcssap 
and programme on April 6, 19 84 to the Chief Elccloral Officer for tbe State 
of Haryana. 
Accordin1 to that ptogr3mrne, tho notification under section 
150 of the Rcpre<eotauon of tho People Act.,19Sl ,was'to be issued on 
April 18, 1984, the last date for filing nomination\ was AprillS, 1984 while 
the date .cfpoll wao llf,,y 20, 1984 
The Election Commission !bed an 
identical programme for filling 23 other v~cau~ics irt ihe logi.slnuvo asscm· 
blies of Aodhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Wost Bcng~l. 
Oa April 7, 198~, 
I he Election Commission was requested by tho Haryana Government. to 
hold tho proposed by·el<ction ulor.gwith the gcnero1l elections to the Lok 
·sabb~, duo later In tbe x.ear. On .Aprll I 1, 1984, tho Chior Secretory wrote 
I lett<r to th' Election Ct>111 ni .. ioacr roncwina the request to defer the by· 
election. 
On April 12, 1984 tho Election Commissiuoer informed tho 
Chid Election Officers by n telex mcs•.ago thlt it bod dectd<d to 'adb•:o to 
tho· programme or by·elcction\ to ollthc 24 constituencies and copies of 
notificatio"' to be published on April IH, 1984 were sent to tho Cbi<f 
Elcctorul Offi:or, liary•na. 
A Press out was issued to that effect after· 
informin11 Jll the political parties. 
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The Chief Sccr~tary, Hary;~na met the Chief Elcctiou Co;,missioner 
on .April 14, ln4 and explained to him pcrson~lly why it wu neil: 
ndvoaable nor P9SSoble to hold tile by.clcction to tbo Tuuru lt(ll os proP" 
by tho .fuller. Oa April 16, 1984, tho Chief Sccrotouy wroto a lettct 
rcl1er3tin1 Jho view or the Guvcrnmont to th~ Cbict Elc<:tiuo Commi;;siooorn 
On April 17, 1984, the Chief Commissioner replied to tho leiter of APrld 
16, 1984 by IDYina thai the Commi~sion hat.! taken tho dc'cisioo to h? 
the by. election uftcr tuking tho Punjub situation nod toldna into considerJii~ 
all r •elora in<ludin& tho fact of non fact that I be polil ical . partios wcro ~ 
oppo-.d In the propo""d bydcction. On the santo d:ty tho Govcrn111t111 ' 
Haoyapa nkd a writ potition irt the Hi¥b Court or Punjab and H>rY~: 
and ubl~iocd ao ;x parte orcla llaylua tbc issuance aoJ pubhcatio>n oft 
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llLfCTION COMMISSfON P. HARYANA 
sss 
• ·• 0 by the Election Commission undor ss. 30, S6 and ISO or tbe 
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tioo ·or tbe Pcoplo Act, 1951. Hence tbc appeal by special 
R<P r the Courth 
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Aflowios tbe appeal, the Court. 
J{ELD : (.Per .Majority) 
p;r.ChQJ!drac/rud C .J. 
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1·; 1. The wide!~ prcv.~lcn~ p~acti~c of putices obiaioing ex parte 
ll!d<rS when they co.'" g1ve pn~~ mumat~on of tho pr?p~sed proceedings ~0 
ppositc side, w•lhout much lnconvtDleuca or preJUdice bas often been 
:a:rroved by this Court. )Vheo tho public authorilics do so it ia all tho 
~orcoptb to disapprobJUon. [5610-E] 
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1 : 2. The Oov~rnmeot of Haryana obtained on e~. parte order 
rrom the High Court when it could eas1ly have given prior intimation of 
· tbe iotend<d procccJings to the Election Commission onndia • . Tbc letter 
is >OOstilutiJo>lly identifiable, conveniently ncce>siblc and easily aVJilablc 
fD< be1ng contact<d on the most modern systems of communication. Tbc 
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El«lioo Commission of India, too .rushed to this Court oo the I 8th witbou t 
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ioformios the Govcrnm<nt . o( H 1 ryaoa that it propose.s to cbJiknge tbc 
order oltbo H1gh Court and to nslc for Sti!Y of tbat order. 
Tho Govern• 
II<Ol or HJryana is also identifiable and accesstble with the same amount 
ofc:t~. Were it not f0r tho fact that this matter brooked no delay the 
Supreme Court wouhl b*yo hesitat

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