Delhi High Court upholds EC’s power to recognise national or state-level political parties
New Delhi: The Delhi High Court dismissed a petition questioning the Election Commission of India’s authority to recognise political parties as national or state-level entities on Friday, reaffirming the validity of the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968.
According to a report published by The Hindu, the Bench comprising Justices Nitin Sambre and Anish Dayal held that the issues raised in the plea had already been settled by the Supreme Court and found no grounds to declare the Symbols Order either ultra vires or discriminatory. The court said the legal framework governing the recognition of political parties was backed by statutory provisions and long-standing judicial interpretation.
The petition was filed by the Hind Samrajya Party, a registered political party. It argued that the Election Commission lacked the power to classify parties as national or state-level. It also contended that recognised parties were granted election symbols well in advance, while newly registered parties received symbols only after the scrutiny stage, leaving them with limited time to campaign.
The High Court noted that the Supreme Court had already ruled that the allotment of election symbols could not be claimed as a fundamental right, rejecting these arguments. The Bench observed that differential treatment between recognised and unrecognised parties flowed from objective criteria laid down under the Symbols Order and the Representation of the People Act, 1951.
The court said the inability of the petitioner, described as a Uttar Pradesh-based political party, to access privileges available to recognised parties did not amount to discrimination, while clarifying that such privileges were granted only after parties met prescribed qualifications under the law. The court concluded that the recognition process and symbol allotment mechanism followed by the Election Commission were legally sound and constitutionally valid.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Karnataka bypolls: Over 60 per cent voter turnout in Bagalkot, Davanagere South till 5 pm
Bengaluru (PTI): Over 60 per cent voter turnout was recorded till 5 pm in both Assembly constituencies in Karnataka, where bypolls were held on Thursday.
While the turnout in Bagalkot was 65.68 per cent, it was 63.04 per cent in Davanagere South.
While the ruling Congress faces the challenge of retaining both seats, the BJP aims to wrest them and deliver a setback to its rival, which is currently witnessing an "internal power struggle" over leadership.
The bypolls were necessitated due to the demise of senior Congress MLAs H Y Meti (Bagalkot) and Shamanur Shivashankarappa (Davanagere South).
A total of over 2.59 lakh eligible voters are expected to cast their votes at around 319 polling stations in Bagalkot, where nine candidates are in the fray.
In Davanagere South, over 2.31 lakh eligible voters are expected to vote across 284 polling stations, with 25 candidates contesting.
The BJP has fielded former MLA and 2023 defeated candidate Veerabhadrayya Charantimath from Bagalkot, and a fresh face, Srinivas T Dasakariyappa, from Davanagere South.
The Congress has given tickets to family members of the late legislators in both constituencies. Bagalkot candidate Umesh Meti is the son of H Y Meti, while Samarth Mallikarjun from Davanagere South is the grandson of Shamanur Shivashankarappa.
