New Delhi: The Delhi High Court Tuesday sought response of the Election Commission of India (ECI) on a plea by the newly formed political outfit, Plurals Party, seeking to use a common symbol of 'Chess Board' during the Bihar Assembly polls, scheduled to commence from October 28.
Justice Jayant Nath issued notice to the ECI and asked it to file its reply within four weeks and listed the matter for further hearing on December 21.
The party, represented through advocate Jatan Singh, has sought to direct the commission to allow the use of a common election symbol of ‘Chess Board’ or any other free symbol chosen by the party to all the candidates set up by the party for contesting the election.
The high court was also informed that today is the last date for filing of nomination for the third phase of elections.
However, advocate Sidhant Kumar, representing the ECI, raised preliminary objection over the maintainability of the petition.
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The party said despite following the law, rules and regulations for the registration of political parties, ECI has registered the Plurals Party on October 13.
The prime objective of the registration on time of the political party was to contest the state elections of Bihar, however, the last date for filing the nomination for the first phase of the election already expired on October 8.
“In a country like India where the electorate belongs to diverse social and economic backgrounds, a common election symbol promotes a feeling of unity. The sole object of the allotment of election symbol is to ensure that the process of election is as genuine and fair as possible and that no elector should suffer from handicap of illiteracy and ignorance in casting his vote in favour of a candidate of his choice,” the petition, filed through advocates Amit Kumar Sharma and Satyam Singh, said.
It said the ECI in the October 8 press note gave relaxation and reduced notice period from 30 days to 7 days for the parties which have published the public notice on or before October 7.
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The press note has also mentioned that the relaxation will remain enforced till October 20, 2020, the last date for nomination for phase three of the general election to the Bihar Legislative Assembly, it said.
"The petitioner was denied the opportunity of this relaxation announced by the respondent as a result of which its candidates were constrained to file nomination for the first phase of the election as independent candidates owing to the facts that the last date to file the nominations for the first phase of Bihar election was October 8.
“The non-registration of the petitioner (political party) by the respondent (ECI) on or before October 8 has resulted in irreparable loss to the party," the plea said.
(With inputs from PTI)
