Bismarck (North Dakota), Feb 2 (AP) A federal judge in North Dakota has dismissed a lawsuit challenging the acceptance of mail-in ballots after Election Day brought by a county election official and backed by a legal group aligned with former President Donald Trump.

In his Friday ruling, US District Judge Daniel Traynor said Burleigh County Auditor Mark Splonskowski lacked standing, did not allege a specific constitutional violation, is not conflicted by his oath of office, and that the state election director named in the lawsuit “is not a potential cause for Splonskowski's alleged injuries because she has no enforcement authority.”

Also Read | National Freedom Day 2024 in US Date, History and Significance: Know About the Day That Celebrates Freedom From Slavery and Recognises America as a Symbol of Liberty.

North Dakota Republican Secretary of State Michael Howe welcomed the ruling as “a win for the rule of law in North Dakota and a win for our military and overseas voters.”

In September, the judge had asked the parties whether he should dismiss the case because Splonskowski had no approval from the county commission to sue in his official capacity as auditor. He said he brought the lawsuit against the state's election director as an individual and not in an official capacity.

Also Read | Black History Month 2024 FAQs: Why Did Black History Month Start? Who Is the Founder? Everything You Need To Know.

Splonskowski, backed by the Public Interest Legal Foundation, filed the lawsuit in July. He argued he “faces an impossibility in enforcing the law" around whether to accept mail-in ballots received after Election Day, alleging federal and state law conflict as to when those ballots must be turned in. He claimed he risks criminal penalties. (AP)

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)