The Delhi High Court on Monday asked the Election Commission of India (ECI) to respond to a plea seeking the withdrawal of the status of the Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP) as a “recognised party” and to de-register it.
The YSR Congress Party is currently the ruling party in Andhra Pradesh led by Chief Minister Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy.
Anna YSR Congress, which claims to be a registered political party formed in September 2015 in Andhra Pradesh, in its petition said it was aggrieved by the “illegal and unlawful appropriation and unauthorised usage” of the ‘YSR Congress Party’ abbreviation in YSR Congress Party’s letterheads, campaign material and other collaterals of party administration.
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Anna YSR Congress claimed that the Election Commission had in September 2010 issued clear instruction to the YSR Congress Party barring it from adopting the abbreviation “YSR Congress Party” as its party name.
The petition said YSR Congress Party was “obliged under law” and as directed by the Election Commission to use its full name and not its abbreviated form. It, additionally, said that despite lodging a formal complaint on June 30, 2020, the Election Commission has not taken any action against YSR Congress Party till date.
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The party also alleged that YSR Congress Party was “freely passing itself” as Anna YSR Congress.
Justice Jayant Nath also issued notice to YSR Congress Party on the petition and posted the case for further hearing on September 3.
PTI adds:
The court also said there was no urgency in the matter as the YSR Congress Party was registered with the ECI in 2011 and the Anna YSR has moved the high court only now.
It also noted that the Anna YSR’s representation to ECI on the same issue was only made on June 30 and was pending consideration before the commission.