Today (20 March): The petitioner argued that assigning the lotus flower symbol to any political party is inappropriate because the lotus is India’s “national flower,” and such allocations disgrace national integrity.
Chennai: Today (20 March): On Wednesday, the Madras High Court rejected a plea asked the Election Commission of India (ECI) to reject the allotment of the lotus flower symbol to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
The petition filed by T.. Ramesh, the founder of the Ahimsa Socialist Party based in Tamil Nadu, was rejected by a bench comprising Chief Justice SV Gangapurwala and Justice D.. Bharatha Chakravarthy.
Ramesh’s petition contended that designating the lotus flower, India’s national flower, as a political symbol for a specific party was a disgrace to national integrity. He asserted that such an allotment violated the ECI’s own regulations, as the lotus holds both religious and national significance.
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During the proceedings on December 8, 2023, Ramesh argued that the BJP’s adoption of the lotus symbol was not only a breach of electoral rules but also discriminatory towards other political parties. He claimed that this action amounted to gross injustice against them.
In response, the Chief Justice questioned Ramesh’s standing to challenge the symbol’s allocation to the BJP and directed him to deposit Rs 20,000 as evidence of his genuine concern in the matter.
