Stay of conviction remains an exceptional remedy and was refused where no special circumstances justified election-related relief.

Stay of conviction is an exceptional remedy, not available as a routine measure for contesting elections, and must be granted only after considering relevant factors. The earlier refusal of such relief had already attained finality, and the exceptional circumstances relied on from precedent involving a sitting Member of Parliament were absent. The view that a convicted person is entitled to a stay of conviction merely to enable an election contest was not accepted, and the request for stay was rejected.

---

---

Issues: Whether the petitioner was entitled to a stay of conviction in order to contest elections, and whether the impugned judgment warranting refusal of such relief called for interference.

Analysis: Grant of stay of conviction is not a matter of routine and can be exercised only in exceptional situations after considering the relevant factors. The earlier rejection of the petitioner's request for stay of conviction had attained finality. The exceptional circumstances relied upon in the precedent concerning a sitting Member of Parliament were absent here, and the approach treating a convicted person as entitled to a stay of conviction merely to contest an election was not accepted.

Conclusion: The request for stay of conviction was not accepted, and the special leave petition was dismissed.

---