The MDMK has filed a writ petition in the Madras High Court seeking a direction to the Election Commission of India (ECI) to allot the ‘top’ symbol to it to contest in the Parliamentary elections this year, as well as the 2026 Assembly elections.
The Second Division Bench of Justices R. Mahadevan and Mohammed Shaffiq on Thursday, February 29, 2024, decided to hear the writ petition on Friday, March 1.
The party’s general secretary Vaiko had filed an affidavit in support of the writ petition stating that he had founded the party in 1994, and that it has contested elections since 1996. He stated that the party had been allotted the ‘top’ symbol to contest in four Assembly elections as well as four general elections since 1996. However, in 2010, the ECI de-recognised the party since it had secured only 5.98% of valid votes in the 2006 Assembly election and 3.79% in the 2009 general election.
Claiming that the calculation was wrong, Mr. Vaiko said, MDMK had actually secured 5.99% of votes in the 2006 Assembly elections and hence, this must be construed as 6% of the valid votes. Stating that his party ought not to have been de-recognised, he insisted on the Court directing the ECI to allot the ‘top’ symbol back to it.
