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MC(El. Petn.) No.7 of 2022                                                          Page 25



       (i)        In the 9th Manipur Legislative Assembly Election, 2007, it

                  has been mentioned as "B.A. passed from Manipur

                  University in the year 1985".

       (ii)       In the 10th Manipur Legislative Assembly Election, 1992, it

                  has been mentioned as "B.A. passed from Manipur

                  University in the year 1992".

       (iii)      In the 11th Manipur Legislative Assembly Election, 2017, it

                  has been mentioned as "B.A. passed from Manipur

                  University in the year 1992".

       (iv)       In the 12th Manipur Legislative Assembly Election, 2022, it
has been mentioned as "B.A. passed from Y.K. College, Wangjing under Manipur University in the year 1988".

33. It is submitted on behalf of the election petitioner that the first respondent mentioned his father's name in the 9th and 10th Manipur Legislative Assembly Elections held in the year 2007 and 2012 as "S.Nilla Singh", whereas in the 11th and 12th Manipur Legislative Assembly Elections, it has been mentioned as "Sorokhaibam Yaimabi Singh". Similarly, the case of the election petitioner is that different age has been mentioned during 9th, 10th, 11th and 12th Manipur Legislative Assembly Elections, 2007, 2012, 2017 and 2022 respectively.

39. Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution of India provides for freedom of speech and expression. Voters' speech or expression in case of election would include casting of votes, that is to say, voter speaks out or expresses by casting vote. For this purpose, information about the candidate to be selected is must. Voter's right to know antecedents, including criminal past of the candidate contesting election for MP or MLA, is much more fundamental and basic for survival of democracy. The voter may think over before making his choice of electing law breakers as law makers.