Boost for MNS ahead of election, to get symbol

The Supreme Court on Monday directed the Election Commission to allot a common symbol of 'Railway engine' to Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena for contesting the coming assembly elections in Maharashtra.

The apex court said that the common symbol 'Railway engine' would be allotted to MNS, subject to the conditions that if any other candidate who had won the last election on the same symbol then he be allowed to retain it for contesting the poll.

The order was passed by a bench comprising Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan and Justice P Sathasivam on the petition filed by MNS, seeking to contest around 150 assembly seats on a common symbol.

The bench also directed allocation of common symbol 'coconut' to Jan Surya Shakti party, which is contesting around 100 seats in the assembly election in the state.

Bahujan Vikas Aaghadi, which is also contesting around 100 seats, will be allotted the common symbol of 'whistle'.

All three parties are registered as unrecognised parties and they had sought for the allotment of symbols. The nomination for the October 13 election starts from September 18.

Senior counsel K K Venugopal, appearing for MNS, had pleaded that if the exclusive symbol was not alloted, it would confuse the voters most of whom are illiterate.

He recalled that during the recent general elections unrecognised political parties like Prajya Rajyam and MDMDK were directed to be given exclusive symbols.

According to the EC, only recognised political parties are entitled to get common symbols whereas the others have to accept symbols allotted by the Commission at the constituency.