Judgment

SIKRI, J. :- On May 11, 1970, this Court dismissed the above petitions and stated that reasons would be given later. We now proceed to give the reasons.

2. These four election petitions filed under Section 14 of the Presidential and Vice-Presidential Elections Act (XXXI of 1952) (hereinafter referred to as the Act), and Article 71 of the Constitution of India challenge the election of the respondent, Shri V. V. Giri, to the office of the President of India. The petitioner in Election Petition No. 1 of 1969, Shri Shiv Kirpal Singh, was a candidate in the election, and so was the petitioner in Election Petition No. 3, Shri Phul Singh. The nominations of both these petitioners were rejected by the Returning Officer. Election Petition No. 4 was filed by Shri N. Sri Rama Reddy, M. P., and twelve other electors, all members of Parliament. Election Petition No. 5 was filed by Shri Abdul Ghani Dar, M. P., and nine other member of Parliament and eight members of Legislative Assemblies of Haryana, Madhya Pradesh and Bihar. Shri V. V. Giri is the sole respondent in Election Petitions Nos. 1, 4 and 5 while in Election Petition No.3 he was impleaded as respondent No. 2 and Union of India