MDMK loses ‘top’ symbol after decision to contest only one seat

The decision of the MDMK to accept only one seat allotted to it in the INDIA bloc for this year’s Lok Sabha election has led to its losing the opportunity to contest on the ‘top’ symbol.

The Election Commission of India (EC) on Wednesday refused to allot the symbol that had been reserved for the party until it was derecognised in 2010. The EC told the Madras High Court that the party’s plea for the symbol could have been considered had it contested in at least two seats this year.

The High Court closed a writ petition filed by the party, seeking the allotment of the symbol, after observing that it was too late to consider the request since the last date for filing of nominations ended on Wednesday, and there was no chance of the party fielding one more candidate.

Chief Justice Sanjay V. Gangapurwala and Justice D. Bharatha Chakravarthy recorded the submission of the EC’s counsel, Niranjan Rajagopalan, that the Commission had considered the party’s representation as directed by the court on Tuesday, but rejected it on Wednesday since the rules do not permit such an allotment.

The MDMK could have sought the allotment of the ‘top’ symbol by utilising a concession that could be extended to derecognised political parties under Paragraph 10B(B)(i) of the

Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order of 1968, if it had decided to contest in at least two Lok Sabha constituencies in Tamil Nadu this year, he added. Meanwhile, MDMK leader Durai Vaiko said he would contest on the symbol allotted to him by the EC.