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RK Nagar bypoll: Can Sasikala-Dhinakaran faction use 'hat' symbol? Delhi HC asks EC

The hat symbol was given to the Sasikala-TTV Dhinakaran group by the ECI in March after it had frozen the use of two-leaves' symbol.

New Delhi/Chennai: The Delhi High Court on Friday asked the Election Commission of India (ECI) whether the Sasikala-TTV Dhinakaran faction of AIADMK can use the ‘hat’ symbol to file nominations for the upcoming by-poll to the RK Nagar assembly constituency in Tamil Nadu.

Justice SP Garg asked the poll panel’s lawyer to take instructions and inform the court on this aspect at 2:30 pm on Friday.

The hat symbol was given to the Sasikala-TTV Dhinakaran group by the ECI in March this year after it had frozen the use of the ‘two-leaves’ symbol, to which a group led by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister E Palanisamy and O Panneerselvam had also laid claim.

The Palanisamy-Panneerselvam faction had at the same time been granted the ‘electric pole’ symbol.

However, on November 23 the poll panel ruled in favour of the Palanisamy -Panneerselvam faction by allotting the ‘two-leaves’ symbol to them.

The Sasikala-TTV Dhinakaran faction in its plea has also challenged the November 23 order of the ECI, besides seeking interim directions permitting it to use the ‘hat’ symbol to file nominations.

However, the other faction contended before the court today that only the returning officer (RO) can decide whether the Sasikala faction can use the ‘hat’ symbol.

( Source : PTI )
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