Kanu Sarda By

NEW DELHI: Delhi BJP spokesperson Ashwini Upadhyay goes by the sobriquet ‘PIL man’ in the corridors of the Supreme Court. A practising advocate, he holds the unique distinction of filing 50 PILs in five years.

Having hogged the headlines for getting instant triple talaq outlawed last year, Upadhyay’s latest petition challenges polygamy and nikah halala marriages among Muslims.

His petitions, many of which mark a departure from the party line, are admitted by the court. While he seldom spends much time in the party office, he has a dedicated room in the BJP office in the national Capital.

He has built a reputation of fighting to safeguard the public interests of the disadvantaged sections of the society. Upadhyay, who holds a Bachelor of Laws degree from Chaudhary Charan Singh University, got the Delhi high court to direct the Centre to provide condoms and contraceptive pills to poor families free of cost. Some of his PILs include a plea to restrict those, who have been charged in serious cases, from contesting polls and a petition to debar convicts from contesting elections for life.

Currently, the ban is for six years after the end of the prison term.

He also filed a plea seeking use of a totaliser to count votes from multiple booths together, so that candidates cannot identify and victimise those who voted against them.

In yet another PIL, he sought an end to the practice of candidates contesting from multiple constituencies and stop Independents from contesting parliamentary and state elections.

The move to put an end to the practice of instant triple talaq had raised much hue and cry, with many in the minority community voicing opposition to it.

Upadhyay’s petitions

PIL: To declare Article 35A and 370 of constitution invalid, void and unconstitutional

Status: Centre is yet to file a reply

PIL: To declare polygamy, nikah halala and sharia court invalid

and void

Status: Centre is yet to file reply

PIL: To implement Uniform Civil Code

Status: Matter pending with the Law Commission

PIL: To declare Hindus as minority in eight states

Status: Matter pending before National Commission for Minority