T. Selvam, PMK candidate for the by-election in Tirupparankundram, withdrew his nomination on Saturday after he was informed by election officials that he could not contest under his party’s symbol, the mango.
He said that he was informed by R. Jeeva, the returning officer of Thirupparankundram constituency, on Saturday that the Election Commission had not approved of the ‘mango’ symbol.
“I was instead asked to choose one from the free symbols reserved for independent candidates, which of course did not have our party’s symbol,” he said.
“I was asked to withdraw since the party is particular about contesting with its own symbol.”
Speaking to The Hindu , District Collector and election officer K. Veera Raghava Rao said that the Election Commission had issued an order denying PMK’s request for the party symbol as it had failed to apply within the stipulated time.
Being a registered but derecognised party, the PMK should have made a formal request for the symbol within three days of notification of the election as per the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order of 1968.
The party seemed to have applied much later, he said.
Election officials said that in spite of applying late, the PMK was allowed to contest under the ‘mango’ symbol in Aravakurichi and Thanjavur constituencies as the elections in these two constituencies had only been postponed from May.
However, it was a re-election in Thirupparankundram due to the death of S.M. Seenivel, the MLA-elect of the constituency.
With Saturday being the last day for withdrawal of nominations, 28 candidates are presently in the fray in the by-election.
‘Silly excuses’
Following the decision of CEO Rajesh Lakhoni not to allot the symbol to the PMK, party founder S. Ramadoss said Mr. Lakhoni had provided silly excuses when asked to explain the reason for his decision.
“The PMK is already a registered party in Puducherry. It is a rule that if a party is registered in Puducherry, it must be allotted its symbol in other States as well. What is the logic of allotting the mango symbol in two constituencies and refusing it in Thiruparakundram alone? How is it fair,” Dr. Ramadoss asked.
Candidate says he was asked to choose one of the free symbols reserved for the Independents
