Stories
High Court Slams Election Commission Over 'Envelope' Symbol Row in By-election; Verdict Reserved
- •The High Court criticized the Election Commission regarding the distribution of the 'envelope' symbol in the by-election.
- •The hearing for ISF's case has concluded, and Justice Krishna Rao has reserved the verdict.
- •Justice Krishna Rao questioned why the Commission distributed the symbol just two days before the election, stating there should be a reason for rejection.
- •The judge emphasized that the Election Commission must be transparent and not be run by a political party.
- •The Commission's lawyer argued that the symbol is not an asset and Article 329(B) of the Constitution applies.
Key Questions Answered
The Calcutta High Court criticized the Election Commission for its lack of transparency in distributing the 'envelope' symbol to Ritabrata Banerjee's faction without considering prior applications or providing clear reasons for rejecting other claimants like the ISF.
The Commission's lawyer argued that an election symbol is not a property or asset, that submitting a nomination creates no inherent legal right to a specific symbol, and that Article 329(B) of the Constitution applies to the matter.
The dispute arose after the Election Commission allotted the 'envelope' symbol—previously used by the ISF in assembly elections—to the Ritabrata Banerjee-led faction of the Trinamool Congress, prompting legal challenges and strong objections from the ISF.
