Court turns down Swaraj plea for common symbol

New Delhi: The Delhi high court turned down Yogendra Yadav-led Swaraj India’s request to allot them a common symbol for its candidates to contest MCD polls, saying that any order would “cripple” the election process set in motion.

A bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Chander Shekhar said that the issue of giving a common symbol to registered and unrecognised parties required elaborate hearing and elucidation before a decision is taken. The court listed the matter for next hearing on July 19.

“Issue/grant of a comm-on election symbol would require and mandate comments/objections from different stakeholders. The process and award of a common symbol is not an easy and simple exercise, as others could have objection and reservation on allotment from the free symbols. Independent candidates in nomination forms are required to specify three symbols that they have chosen in order of preference. The last date of filing of nominations is April 3, 2017. In the given time-frame, any interim order would virtually scuttle and cripple the election process set in motion,” the bench said.

It said that the principle of balance of convenience mandates that the poll as fixed by the authorities should be conducted smoothly without any obstruction or hindrance.

The court’s order came on a plea filed by Swaraj India seeking setting aside of a single judge order, by which their request for allotment of a common symbol to its candidates to contest for the 272 MCD wards here was declined.

It had approached the single judge challenging the Delhi State Election Commission’s decision to not allot them a common symbol in the polls that is to be held on April 23.