HYDERABAD: Three parties with the BRS abbreviation have registered with Election Commission of India (ECI), and the poll panel’s approval of the name change of the Telangana Rashtra Samiti to the Bharat Rashtra Samiti (BRS) is expected to take at least a month.
The three parties are Bahujan Rashtra Samiti (BRS) from Secunderabad; Bahujan Republic Socialist party (BRS) from Mumbai and; Bharatiya Rashtra Samanatavada Party (BRS) from Jaipur. While they are registered with the EC, they are yet to secure recognition as a state or national party.
In view of this, and that process to approve a change of name takes a month, the TRS will contest the Munugode bypoll on its old name, sources said.
The process of filing nominations for the Munugode bypoll commences on October 7 and concludes on October 14. Sources said it would not be possible to secure EC approval for the name change inside a week.
TRS senior leader B. Vinod Kumar on Thursday met Dharmendra Sharma, senior deputy election commissioner, in Delhi and handed over a copy of the resolution passed by the TRS in the state general body meeting held at Telangana Bhavan on Wednesday renaming itself as BRS.
Vinod also handed over a letter written by TRS president and Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao seeking the EC's approval for change of name.
Official sources said EC officials informed Vinod that three parties with the BRS initials were registered with EC and the poll panel needed time to examine and approve the application submitted by the TRS.
Speaking to media personnel outside the ECI office in Delhi, Vinod said, "We have submitted TRS resolution copy and CM's letter written to EC seeking change of name from TRS to BRS. EC officials told us that they have to vet the application and follow certain legal procedures before granting approval for name change which will take some time. They said they will examine whether there are any applications pending with similar names."
When reporters pointed out about three more parties having BRS name, Vinod replied, "Only abbreviation is the same. Party name is different. There are several parties in the country today with the same abbreviation but with different party names. Abbreviation is not at all an issue."
He said since it would take time to get EC's approval for name change it is not possible to contest Munugode by poll on behalf of the BRS.
HOW IT IS DONE
1. A party seeking registration of its name has to pass a resolution.
2. It has to submit an application within 30 days to the EC
3, The party is asked to publish its proposed name in two national dailies and two local dailies for two days.
4. Objections have to be submitted within 30 days
5. The EC will then take a decision on registration of party's name.
