SC asks EC to consider allotting common symbol to Dinakaran's AMMK

The Supreme Court on Thursday asked the Election Commission to consider allotting a common symbol -- pressure cooker -- to the T.T.V. Dinakaran-led AMMK for contesting the Lok Sabha elections, and by-elections to 20 assembly constituencies in Tamil Nadu. A bench of Justice A.M. Khanwilkar and Justice Ajay Rastogi in their order also asked the Delhi High Court to dispose of the appeal filed by the AMMK against the EC decision to allot the 'two leaves' symbol to the AIADMK led by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister E. Palaniswami in four weeks.

If for some reason, the court said, the appeal against the November 23, 2017, EC order could not be disposed of by the High Court in four weeks, the EC should pass an order allotting a common symbol to Dinakaran's AMMK, it said. While disposing of the application by Dinakaran, the top court virtually upheld the High Court's interim order and asked the EC to decide the allotment of a common symbol as per the High Court's order.

The AIADMK had split into two, both claiming the 'two leaves' symbol. The Election Commission recognised Palaniswami's group as the real AIADMK and gave it the 'two leaves' symbol.