New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday
sought a response from the Election Commission on Raj
Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena`s petition seeking an
exclusive election symbol for the party to fight coming
assembly election in the state.
A bench of Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan and P
Sathasivam, while issuing notice to EC, posted the matter for
further hearing to September 14 as the nomination process for
the election starts on September 18.
"You can tell your candidates to choose a particular
symbol in their respective constituencies," the bench remarked
while intially expressing reluctance to issue a notice on the
matter.
However, senior counsel K K Venugopal, appearing for
MNS, argued the party was entitled to an exclusive symbol from
among the list of free symbols as it was contesting 228
assembly seats. He pleaded that if the exclusive symbol was
not alloted, it would confuse the voters most of whom are
illiterate.
He said the party was not seeking any recognised
symbol but only an exclusive symbol.
The senior counsel recalled that during the recent
general elections unrecognized political parties like Prajya
Rajyam and MDMDK were directed to be given exclusive symbols.
Under EC`s rule, only recognized political parties
are entitled to recognised symbols whereas the others have to
accept symbols alloted by the Commission at the constituency
symbols.
Bureau Report
