India, Oct. 21 -- The Supreme Court has ruled that any private person can approach a magistrate with a criminal complaint against an elected representative for allegedly filing a false affidavit in an election, holding that such complaints do not require prior sanction or a complaint by the Election Commission of India (ECI) or any other public servant.

Underscoring that the interpretation of laws is the exclusive domain of courts, a bench of justices Dipankar Datta and Sheel Nagu said that ECI cannot dictate how statutory provisions should be interpreted through its press notes or guidelines, even though it is the constitutional authority responsible for conducting elections.

"We hold that a private complaint alleging offence committed...