Telangana News

Seeking votes in the name of religion, caste, race, community or language is illegal, the Supreme Court declared today. The apex court made it clear that the secular ethos of the Constitution had to be maintained by keeping elections a secular exercise.

“The relationship between man and god is an individual choice. The state is forbidden to have allegiance to such an activity,” the court said.

Opining that, the elected representative should be secular, the court further added that, "Religion has no role in the electoral process, which is a secular activity. Mixing state with religion is not constitutionally permissible."

The latest decision is being considered as a landmark judgment, as the crucial assembly elections are ahead in five states, where caste is the key weapon. This is said to impact all such parties, big time. Especially in Uttar Pradesh, the construction of a Ram Temple in Ayodhya and caste-based mobilization are top poll planks.