Sunday, January 15 2006 09:25 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: The Election Commission is adopting a 'wait and watch' attitude on the issue of holding elections to the ten Lok Sabha seats, which became vacant consequent on the expulsion of members in the 'cash-for-query' scam.

EC sources said though there was no legal stay on holding the elections; the Commission would like to wait for some time before proceeding with the matter.

Petitions challenging the expulsion have been filed by some of the former members of the Lok Sabha either in the Supreme Court or in the Delhi High Court.

The Apex Court would take up tomorrow the petition filed by Raja Ram Pal of Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP).

The Delhi High Court on January nine had issued notices to Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha, the Centre and the EC on petitions by eight of the 11 expelled MPs challenging their expulsion.

Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee has contended that courts do not have jurisdiction in the matter.

The MPs who moved the High Court are lone Rajya Sabha member Chhatrapal Singh Lodha of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Lok Sabha members Suresh Chandel, Pradip Gandhi, Yashwant Giridhar Mahajan, Anna Saheb M K Patil, Chandrapratap Singh (all BJP), Manoj Kumar Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and Ram Sevak Singh (Cong).