The Election Commission of India (ECI) has directed the Returning Officers (ROs) to freeze the ‘glass tumbler’ symbol in all the Assembly segments falling under the Lok Sabha (LS) constituencies where the Jana Sena Party (JSP) has put up its candidates and in all such LS constituencies consisting of the Assembly segments where the JSP fielded its candidates so that the symbol cannot be allotted to independent candidates or candidates of Registered Unrecognized Political Parties (RUPP).
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The order came in the wake of a submission made by the ECI’s standing counsel to the Andhra Pradesh High Court (HC) on April 30 that the issue would be resolved within 24 hours during the hearing of a house motion petition filed by the JSP.
Following the order, the ROs have to revise the allotment of the glass symbol to the contesting candidates by drawing reference to Rule 10 (5) of the Conduct of Election Rules, 1961, Para 18(b) and (c) of the Symbols Order, 1968 and Article 324 of the Constitution.
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The JSP approached the HC on April 29 citing the difficulties faced by it due to the confusion being caused by the allotment of the ‘glass tumbler’ symbol to candidates of RUPP and independent candidates in constituencies where the party hasn’t fielded any candidate.
The Chief Electoral Officer of A.P. had earlier reserved the glass tumbler as a common symbol to the JSP in all 175 Assembly and 25 LS constituencies but the JSP informed it that certain independent candidates have insisted on the allotment of glass tumbler as it (JSP) was not contesting in those constituencies and the symbol should be considered a free symbol.
The allotment of the glass tumbler symbol to other political parties / independent candidates has since led to chaos and confusion in the minds of the electorate, the JSP argued and on that ground filed the petition in the HC seeking the removal of glass tumbler from the list of free symbols.
The ECI submitted its action taken report to the HC on May 1.