SC refuses to entertain plea on cooling-off period for civil servants to contest polls

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday refused to entertain a plea seeking implementation of the 2012 recommendations of the Election Commission regarding the cooling-off period to prevent public servants from contesting polls immediately after retirement or resignation.A bench of Justices Surya Kant and Sandeep Mehta allowed petitioner G V Harsha Kumar, a former parliamentarian, to withdraw the plea with liberty to approach the appropriate authority.The plea had sought directions to the Election commission and the Centre to implement the 2012 recommendations of the poll panel and the July 2004 report of the Committee on Civil Service Reforms to prevent government servants from contesting elections to the legislature, parliament or state assembly on a political party ticket, immediately after retirement or resignation from service, by imposing a cooling-off period.It had also sought a direction from the Centre to grant one pension to the bureaucrats who have served as members of assembly and parliament.The plea was filed in the apex court through advocate Sravan Kumar Karanam.”This report was of 2012,” the bench observed, adding, “You want to withdraw or argue?”.The counsel said he would withdraw the petition.



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