With the announcement of the dates for the Lok Sabha elections, the DMK has moved the Madras High Court for a direction to the Election Commission (EC) to cover the Chief Minister, Jayalalithaa’s photograph and the AIADMK’s “two leaves” symbol printed on government property, including Small Buses and water bottles sold in the name of “Amma mineral water.”
In the petition, DMK treasurer M.K.Stalin submitted that he had already filed a writ petition seeking a direction to the authorities to consider his representation of October last year and to initiate action to remove the painting of two leaves on government property.
When the writ petition came up on November 26 last year, the court recorded the State’s undertaking that it would not paint the two sets of two leaves in Small Buses.
Mr.Stalin said that contrary to the undertaking, more buses were launched on February 19 having the two sets of two leaves, which were a look alike of the ruling party’s symbol, at the cost of public exchequer.
Though the State Government filed a counter through the Transport Secretary, the EC had not filed its affidavit yet.
A large number of voters were not aware of the “deceptive practice” adopted by the official authorities to promote the ruling party knowing fully-well that it was an abuse and misuse of power amounting to criminal misconduct.
The depiction of the Chief Minister’s photograph on government property would give valuable advantage to AIADMK over other parties and would inspire and influence the minds of voters.
Detailed representation
The petitioner said despite his detailed representation last year, the EC had not exercised its statutory duties. Hence, the party was constrained to file the present petition seeking a direction to the EC.
The court had already ordered notice to EC on a petition by R.S.Bharathi, State legal wing secretary of DMK, for a direction to the authorities to cover the AIADMK symbol on the MGR Memorial on Kamarajar Salai here, in view of the coming elections.
