SC to hear Chiranjeevi's plea for common symbol

The Supreme Court on Tuesday posted to March 27 the hearing of the writ petition filed by Praja Rajyam Party, floated by Telugu superstar Chiranjeevi seeking a common election symbol to the party to fight Lok Sabha and Assembly elections in Andhra Pradesh.

The party is seeking rail engine as the symbol. A three-judge bench of Justices B N Aggrawal, G S Singhvi and H L Dattu said the matter would be heard along with a similar petition filed by Tamil actor Vijaykanth heading Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam party in Tamil Nadu.

Praja Rajayam general secretary and Chiranjeevi's brother-in-law Allu Arvind filed the petition after the Election Commission had on March 3 rejected the party's plea for a common symbol on the ground that it was not a recognized political party.

Under the election commission's rules, a party can be alloted a "common symbol", with which a party can contest in all constituencies, and treated as a recognized politcal party only if it secures a minimum of six per cent votes in any previous election.

According to Praja Rajayam, the party would be put at a disadvantage if it is not alloted a common symbol as a majority of the electorates are illiterates.