New Delhi: In a relief to UP Chief Minister
Mayawati, the Election Commission has rejected the plea for
putting a freeze on her party symbol `Elephant` and seeking
her disqualification.
Turning down the plea of two advocates, the Commission
said it would take "appropriate steps and measures" to see
that the statues of Mayawati and her party symbol do not
disturb the level-playing field during elections.
The EC`s order came on a petition filed in July last
year in which the advocates, Ravi Kant and Sukumkar, contended
that the statues of elephant and Mayawati were installed in
public places in Lucknow and Noida with the money spent from
the state exchequer.
The petitioners sought freezing of the election symbol
and wanted another symbol to be given to BSP and that Mayawati
be disqualified from contesting elections "as several of her
statues will always remain to continue to create an unequal
playing ground for her opponents" during elections.
"At the time of elections, the Commission would, no
doubt, take appropriate steps and measures to see that the
statutes of Mayawati and BSP symbol elephant do not disturb
the level-playing field and give undue advantage to BSP
vis-a-vis other parties," the Commission said in its 21-page
order.
Earlier, the Supreme Court had asked the Commission to
decide the issue after the petitioners had submitted before it
that 60 statues of elephants were being installed by Uttar
Pradesh government at a cost of Rs 52.20 crore at public
places by utilising state funds.
PTI
