SC upholds EC criteria on symbol issue

In a majority verdict, the Supreme Court on Wednesday upheld the criteria of the Election Commission for granting symbols to unrecognized registered political parties.

A three-judge bench comprising justices Altamas Kabir, S S Nijjar and Jasti Chelameswar upheld the panel's symbol order by a two to one majority.

Justice Chelameswar wrote the dissenting order against the EC's symbol order.

The court passed the order on a batch of petitions filed by state political parties challenging the symbol order of the EC.

According to the EC's order, permanent symbol is granted to those political parties which have garnered a certain percentage of votes in the assembly elections or have managed to win two assembly seats or one seat in parliamentary elections from the state.

Several parties including then Praja Rajyam Party, Bahujan Vikas Aghadi and Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam had approached the apex court in 2008 against the EC's decision to change their symbol from what was allotted to them previously.