JYOTI BASU & OTHERS. vs DEBI GHOSAL & OTHERS.

The Supreme Court held that under Sections 82 and 86(4) of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, only candidates and certain specified individuals can be joined as respondents in an election petition. The Court ruled that the Chief Minister and State Ministers, who were not candidates in the election, could not be impleaded as parties to the election petition filed against the returned candidate. Consequently, the appeal was allowed, and their names were directed to be struck out from the array of parties.