The Madras High Court on Tuesday directed notice to the Election Commission of India and the State Election Commission on a plea moved by the Tamil Manila Congress (Moopanar) seeking a direction to allot ‘bicycle’ symbol for the party for the ensuing 2016 local body election.
Justice N. Kirubakaran ordered notice returnable by three weeks on the plea moved by TMC (M) represented by its president G.K. Vasan.
The petitioner wanted the High Court to quash all the orders passed by the Election Commission rejecting the party's applications and including a review seeking to allot the symbol.
According to the petitioner, his father and senior Congress leader G.K. Moopanar floated the Tamil Manila Congress in 1996, since then the party, which was recognised as a State party, has been allotted the bicycle symbol by the EC.
After the death of Moopanar, the petitioner was elected as the president of the party. Subsequently, in 2004 TMC merged with the Indian National Congress. However, the merger was assailed by the then member of the Puducherry legislative assembly before the EC.
Accepting his contention, the EC on March 22, 2004 held that the merger would not wipe off the party and the remnant group would represent the party, but the party will not be entitled to the allotment of bicycle symbol, the petitioner said.
Again in 2014, due to differences, Mr. Vasan along with his followers left the Congress and floated Tamil Maanila Congress (Moopanar).
Claiming that the newly formed party has over 40 lakh members, and it is effectively functioning in the State, the petitioner wanted the EC to allot bicycle symbol for his new party.
“As the EC refused to allot the symbol, left with no other option, the party contested in the ‘coconut farm' symbol in the May 2016 Assembly elections,” Mr. Vasan said.
Adding that though the party formed alliance with five other parties under the banner 'People's Welfare Front', and contested in the May 2016 elections, the petitioner said, “Though all the six parties together contested the election, the party lost the election mainly due to the non-availability of the bicycle symbol to the party.”
Alleging that the EC has rejected the party’s explanation on why the symbol should be allotted to them, the petitioner submitted that left with no other alternative remedy, the party has approached the High Court.
Published - October 05, 2016 01:17 am IST
