Lucknow, Nov. 1 -- Amid the ongoing debate on caste assertion in politics, the Election Commission of India (ECI) has submitted an affidavit in the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad high court, stating that it cannot deregister political parties on the grounds of holding caste-based rallies as there is no such provision in the Representation of the People Act, 1951.

The Act empowers it to register political parties under section 29A, the ECI said in the affidavit submitted in the high court on Thursday in reply to a public interest litigation filed by advocate Moti Lal Yadav. The PIL sought a ban on caste-based rallies and action against political parties.

Along with ECI, the Centre and the state government also submitted their affidavits ...