Rathina Sabapathi, President, Party For The Right Of Other Backward Classes v. Election Commission Of India Represented By The Ms Shubhra Saxena, Director
$~84 * IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI + CONT.CAS(C) 20/2026 RATHINA SABAPATHI, PRESIDENT, PARTY FOR THE RIGHT OF OTHER BACKWARD CLASSES .....Petitioner Through:
Mr. Raghav R., Adv. (through v/c) versus ELECTION COMMISSION OF INDIA REPRESENTED BY THE MS SHUBHRA SAXENA, DIRECTOR .....Respondent Through:
Mr. Sanjay Vashishtha, SC, Mr.
Siddharth Goswami, Ms. Geetanjali Reddy and Mr. Aditya Sachdeva, Advs.
CORAM:
HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE SACHIN DATTA
O R D E R
% 29.01.2026 CM APPL.5394/2026 (for revival of contempt petition) 1.
This is an application seeking revival of CONT.CAS(C) 20/2026, which was disposed of vide order dated 13.01.2026. The said reads as under: "1. Learned counsel for the respondent/ Election Commission of India (ECI) submits that vide communication dated 09.01.2026 the petitioner has been apprised of certain discrepancies in respect of 5 members of the proposed political party, as mentioned in the verification report fumished by the O/o the Chief Electoral Officer, Tamil Nadu vide their letter dated 25.11.2025 and 07.01.2026. The communication dated 09.01.2026 reads as under:- The authenticity of the order can be re-verified from Delhi High Court Order Portal by scanning the QR code shown above.
2. During the course of hearing, it is agreed as follows:- i. The petitioner would respond to the aforesaid communication dated 09.01.2026 within a period of three days from today. It is submitted by the petitioner that the so-called discrepancies have no bearing inasmuch as the petitioner has submitted 114 affidavits in support of its application as opposed to the requirement of submission of only 100 affidavits. It is, therefore, submitted that even assuming, there are discrepancies in the affidavit of 5 members of the proposed party, the same would have no bearing on the outcome of the petitioner's application. This aspect can be duly brought out in the communication to be addressed by the petitioner to the ECIL.
ii. Upon receipt of the aforesaid response of the petitioner, immediate steps shall be taken by the ECI to process the petitioner's application and to facilitate publication in newspapers inviting objections, in terms of the relevant provisions. After expiry of the stipulated period of 30 days following such publication, immediate steps shall be taken by the ECI to further process the petitioner's application for registration of the proposed political party. iii. The ECI is directed to act with expedition and dispatch at every stage of the aforesaid process.
3. The petition 1s disposed of in the above terms.
4. It is clarified that in the event of any infraction of the aforesaid timeline it shall be open to the petitioner to revive the present petition or file afresh."
2.
During the course of hearing, it is pointed out by learned counsel for Election Commission of India (ECI) that a letter dated 28.01.2026 has been issued whereby the ECI has permitted requisite publication of public notice in the newspaper for the purpose of registration of the petitioner's political party.
3.
It is assured and undertaken that expeditious steps shall be taken by ECI to ensure that the procedure is taken to its logical outcome as expeditiously as possible.
4.
It is further agreed that if any further representation / suggestion is made by the petitioner, the same shall be duly considered by the ECI to The authenticity of the order can be re-verified from Delhi High Court Order Portal by scanning the QR code shown above.
expedite the process to the extent possible. Likewise, if any concerns are raised by the ECI, the petitioner shall take prompt steps to address the same and satisfy the ECI in this regard.
5.
No further orders are required to be passed.
6.
The application stands disposed of.
SACHIN DATTA, J JANUARY 29, 2026/cl The authenticity of the order can be re-verified from Delhi High Court Order Portal by scanning the QR code shown above.