- (1.) This petition under Article 136 of the Constitution is directed against the order of a learned Single Judge of the High court of Andhra Pradesh dated 13/11/1990 holding that the Election Commission of India is not a necessary or proper party to the election petition.
(2.) The petitioner was declared elected as a Member of the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly from Attakur Constituency of Nellore Dis- trict in the elections held on 29/11/1989. K. Anjaneya Reddy, respondent 2, the unsuccessful candidate filed an election petition before the High court of Andhra Pradesh at Hyderabad calling in question thepetitioner's election. In the election petition respondent 2 challenged validity of the order of the Election Commission dated 22/11/1989 declaring the polling at Bhogasamudram polling station as void and directing re-poll at that polling station. Respondent 2 impleaded the Election Commission of India as one of the respondents to the election petition. The Election Commission made application before the High court for deleting it from array of the parties on the ground that it was not a necessary party. The petitioner contested the application of the Election Commission. The High court by its order dated 13/11/1990 held that the Election Commission was neither necessary nor a proper party. Accordingly, it issued direction for the deletion of the Election Commission of India from the array of parties. The petitioner has challenged the order of the High court by means of this petition.
(3.) After hearing learned counsel for the petitioner we do not find any merit in the petition. S. 82 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 specifies the persons who are required to be joined as respon-dents to an election petition. Under this provision the returned candidate is a necessary party as a respondent and where relief for a declaration is claimed that the election petitioner, or any other candidate beduly elected, all the contesting candidates are necessary to be impleaded as respondents to the petition. No other person or authority except as aforesaid is required to be impleaded as a respondent to an election petition under the Act. The Election Commission of India is therefore not a necessary party to an election petition.;