SC orders common symbol to Praja Rajyam, DMDK and Lok Satta

New Delhi, Mar 27 (PTI) Three political parties from
India's southern state Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu--Praja
Rajyam, DMDK and Lok Satta-- Friday received a pre-poll morale
booster with the Supreme Court directing the Election
Commission to allot them "common symbols" for coming
elections.

The direction would ensure that Praja Rajyam floated by
Telugu superstar Chiranjeevi would fight the election on the
symbol of rail engine, DMDK led by Tamil actor Vijaykanth on
the musical drum and Lok Satta of former IAS officer Jaya
Prakash Narayan in Andhra Pradesh on a whistle.

"In India, most of the voters are illiterate and they go
merely by the symbols of the candidates," the apex court
observed tersely while ordereing common symbols to three
parties as an "interim measure."

The three parties had argued that if they are not alloted
common symbols it would adversely affect their political
fortunes as the average voter in India is illiterate and is
merely guided by symbols while casting vote.

The apex court brushed aside the opposition from the
Election Commission which argued that only recognized politcal
parties are entitled to "common symbols" and the three
claimants were unrecognized political parties.

A bench of Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan and P
Sathasivam, while passing the direction, also stayed an Andhra
Pradesh High Court order which had directed the Election
Commission to allot common symbols to recognized political
parties in the State.

The apex court, while directing allotment of common
symbols, clarified that the allotment as sought by the three
political parties would only be an "interim arrangment" for
the present election.

In other words, the apex court said the question as to
whether a party, which is registered but not declared as a
recognized political party, is entitled to common symbol would
be kept open and the bench would pass appropriate ruling after
examining the issue.

Under the Election Symbols (Reservation & Allotment)
Order,1968 a "common symbol" which enables all the candidates
of a particular political party to contest on a particular
exclusive symbol is alloted only if the said party has
obtained atleast six per cent of the total votes polled and
should have won a minimum of two seats in a particular state.

Praja Rajyam and Lok Satta are in the electoral fray for
the first time and are contesting all the 294 assembly and 42
Lok Sabha seats in Andhra Pradesh.

Vijaykanth's DMDK had earlier contested the assembly
elections in Tamil Nadu and polled more than eight per cent
votes but managed to get only one seat. Hence, the three
parties plea for allotment of common symbols was rejected by
the Election Commission, following which they moved the apex
court.

The three parties have challenged the EC's rules on
the ground that such discrimination between poltical parties
was unconstitutional and there was no statutory bar on
allotment of a common symbol to unrecognized political
parties.

The Election Commission, on the other hand, had contended
that there were "more than one thousand" unrecognized
political parties and only 120 rpt 120-odd free symbols.

If a direction is given that all unrecognized political
parties be alloted common symbols, then it would create
considerable difficulties for the Commission.

The apex court said it would examine the issue at a
later stage and accordingly issued notice to the three
political parties for their response on EC's submission. PTI
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