Anti-conversion law faces challenge in Chhattisgarh, High Court asks state to respond

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced that political parties fielding candidates whose names were not in the registers they submitted to the commission will be barred from participating in the 2027 elections. This decision follows a September 24, 2026, Supreme Court ruling that affirmed the constitutionality of certain sections of the Electoral Act 2026 and upheld INEC's revised schedule for the 2027 general elections.

INEC's National Commissioner for Information and Voter Education, Mohammed Haruna, discussed the implications of the judgment on Trust TV's Daily Politics programme. Haruna emphasized that the affected parties would not be allowed to replace the disqualified candidates, stating that political parties should not profit from electoral violations. He compared the situation to past cases in Zamfara and Plateau states, where parties benefited from unlawful practices.

Haruna explained that the commission's decision would impact candidates vying for various elective positions, from local government to the House of Assembly. He noted that INEC had to conduct interviews with all candidates to verify their party affiliation at the time of contesting. If a candidate's name was absent from the party's register, they would be deemed ineligible.

The delay in INEC's final stance on the Supreme Court's judgment resulted from the need for legal counsel following the receipt of the Certified True Copy of the judgment. INEC exercised caution due to the risk of forged court judgments, as instances of such fraud had occurred in the past. Haruna assured that the commission had obtained the correct, authenticated copy and was prepared to issue a definitive ruling by the following week.