Post date: Apr 15, 2011 6:28:44 AM
The Election Commission Of India as rejected the request of newly-formed YSR Congress floated by Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy for allotment of a common symbol to its candidates contesting the Kadapa Lok Sabha and Pulivendula assembly bypolls.
The EC made it clear to the fledgling party that a common symbol will be allotted to only those parties which field a minimum of 10 per cent candidates in assembly elections. The order issued on March 25 by the EC rendered the YSR Cong ineligible for a common symbol as bypolls are being held only in two constituencies.
Following the Supreme Court order on March 16 in a case related to the allotment of common symbol, the EC had asked 28 unrecognised parties which sought common symbol earlier to send written requests in a prescribed format giving the list of the seats they would be contesting, on or before March 23 to check if they fulfilled the 10 per cent criterion.
Jagan's party should contest at least 29 seats in order to be eligible for a common symbol. Since it was contesting only two seats in the bypolls, the YSR Congress did not respond to the EC's letter.
As a result, the commission decided to allot a common symbol to only eight registered parties which confirmed that they were contesting a minimum number of seats as prescribed by the EC. The YSR Congress is likely to field Jagan from Kadapa Lok Sabha seat and his mother Vijayalakshmi from Pulivendula. Following the EC directive, the two would end up contesting on different symbols.