Bihar Polls: Delhi Court Seeks Poll Body's Reply On Party's Plea For Symbol

The Delhi High Court on Monday sought ṭhe Election Commission's response on a plea by Akhil Bharatiya Jan Sangh seeking allotment of a poll symbol for the upcoming Bihar election.

Justice Mini Pushkarna directed the poll body to file its response by October 9, when the court will further hear the matter.

The judge had, in August, sought the Election Commission's response on another plea by the petitioner seeking permission to use a common election symbol for the upcoming Bihar assembly polls.

The judge was on Monday informed that the Election Commission has refused the petitioner's request on the grounds of internal disputes in the party.

The court was told that the alleged dispute is "no longer material and one Sameer Singh Chandel has been expelled from the party and has no concerns with affairs of the party after expulsion".

The judge then issued notice to the Election Commission on the issue.

The petitioner said the party was established in 1951 and renamed in 1979. It has been contesting elections throughout its existence besides applying from time to time for the election symbol from the Election Commission in line with the relevant laws, the plea said.

The petitioner said it participated in the 2024 assembly elections in Andhra Pradesh for which the common election symbol "sitar" was allotted to it.

The plea said the petitioner has a constitutional guarantee and a statutory right to contest elections, subject to statutory safeguards, and the non-allotment of an election symbol will take away the opportunity to contest elections. 

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