SC dismisses plea to advance voting timing for last phase of Lok Sabha election

The Supreme Court Friday rejected a plea seeking a direction to the Election Commission (EC) to advance polling timing to 5:30 am from 7 am for seventh phase of the Lok Sabha election in view of searing heat and Ramzan.

A vacation bench comprising Justices Indira Banerjee and Sanjiv Khanna said that court cannot go into the issue of poll timings and most phases of the Lok Sabha elections were already over.

"We cannot get into poll times. It is the Election Commission's call. There may be logistical issues," the bench told advocate Mohammad Nizamuddin Pasha who had filed the petition.

"Part of elections are already over. Only one phase remains now," the bench observed.

When the counsel referred to the searing heat in parts of the country, especially between 12 noon to 3 PM, the bench said, "The timings are from 7 am to 6 pm. People can come in the morning to cast their votes."

On May 2, the top court had asked the poll panel to pass "necessary orders" on Pasha's representation seeking .