Election disqualification challenge becomes academic after legislative dissolution, with no continuing practical consequence to decide on merits.

A challenge to a candidate's alleged disqualification under Section 9A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 became academic after dissolution of the Legislative Assembly, because no decision could then affect any subsisting right or liability between the parties. The Court held that the controversy had ceased to be a live issue and, unlike cases involving corrupt practice with continuing consequences, there was no practical purpose in deciding the appeal on merits. The appeal was therefore dismissed as academic.

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Issues: Whether the appeal should be entertained on merits after the dissolution of the Legislative Assembly had made the challenge to the respondent's disqualification under Section 9A academic.

Analysis: The only ground of challenge was the respondent's alleged disqualification on the date of nomination under Section 9A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951. Once the Legislative Assembly stood dissolved, any decision on that disqualification would not affect any subsisting right or liability between the parties and would serve no practical purpose. The controversy had ceased to be a living issue. The Court distinguished cases involving corrupt practice, because such findings carry continuing consequences, but no such charge existed here.

Conclusion: The appeal could not usefully be decided on merits and was dismissed as academic.

Ratio Decidendi: A challenge to election disqualification that has no continuing practical consequence after dissolution of the legislature becomes an academic issue and need not be decided on appeal.

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