Court orders notice of motion to EC

The Madras High Court on Tuesday ordered notice of motion to the Election Commission (EC) on a petition seeking a direction to the EC to consider and dispose of a representation on merits to remove ‘koodai’ (basket) symbol from the list.

In her order, Justice K.Suguna said the notice was returnable in four weeks. The petitioner, Pollachi J.B.Jacob alias J.Benjamin Jacob submitted that he was a member of DMDK and contested the 2006 Assembly elections from the Udhagamandalam constituency.

The party was allotted ‘drum’ symbol. The EC had allotted ‘basket’ symbol to an independent candidate in the same constituency. As the symbols appeared similar, there was confusion among voters.

He wrote to the EC in May this year to remove the symbol from the symbols’ list wherever the DMDK contested in the Assembly or general election.