Poll-O-Meter: How the law changed

A bed-ridden man, who couldn’t file his nominations for the 1967 elections was the reason for a change in election laws.

Till then, a candidate had to take an oath in front of the returning officer while filing nomination.

Usually, a returning officer used to visit hospital to finish the procedure. In this case, the official was told very late and could not reach on time.

It was after this incident that it became a law that a hospitalised candidate can take the oath before a medical superintendent.