Photo Source: ANI
Complaint sent to ECI against Haryana SEC ahead of MC polls; Know why
Babushahi Bureau
Chandigarh, May 17, 2022: Hemant Kumar, Punjab, and Haryana High Court advocate have sent a complaint to the Election Commission of India (ECI) against the Haryana State Election Commission for allegedly including reserved symbols of AAP, SAD in the list of free symbols for upcoming MC polls.
Kumar said that in April, Haryana State Election Commission (SEC) issued two Notifications that contained different Lists of Free Symbols for allotment to candidates who would contest as Independents/Non-Political Party fielded Candidates for Election to Post of President, Municipal Committee/Council, and Mayor, Municipal Corporation as well as Member, Municipal Committee/Council/Corporation in upcoming General Elections to three-tier Municipal Bodies in the State of Haryana as scheduled in next few months/weeks.
He shared that when he checked the aforementioned Lists of Free Symbols in the two Notifications as notified by SEC, Haryana,
he found that such Free Symbols list also includes Reserved Symbols of certain Recognized (State) Parties in various States of India which have been reserved and notified by the Election Commission of India (ECI) in pursuance of Paragraph 17 of the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968 vide Gazette Notification, the latest being issued dated 23 September 2021.
He asserted that broom and scales which are reserved symbols of AAP and SAD in the Delhi, Punjab respectively have been included in the list of free symbols by Haryana SEC.
Hemant has requested the Election Commission of India (ECI) through Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and the sole Election Commissioner (EC) to suitably communicate/correspond with State Election Commission (SEC), Haryana and impress upon the latter to substitute all such Symbols as included in its recently notified revised List of Free Symbols (which are nevertheless declared and notified as Reserved Symbols of Recognized State Parties by ECI under Paragraph 17 of ibid 1968 Order) with suitable Free Symbols from the List of 197 Symbols contained ECI Gazette Notification dated 23 September 2021.