SC orders EC to allot common symbol to MNS

New Delhi, Sep 14: The Supreme Court on Monday, Sep 14, ordered the Election Commission (EC) to allot a common symbol of 'Railway engine' to Raj Thackeray led-Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) for contesting in forthcoming elections in Maharashtra.

Bench comprising Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan and Justice P Sathasivam passed the order on petition filed by MNS seeking to contest around 150 assembly seats on common symbol.

The apex court said, "The common symbol 'Railway engine' would be allotted to MNS, subject to the conditions that if any other candidate who had won the last election on the same symbol."

The Bench also directed allocation of common symbol 'coconut' to Jan Surya Shakti party, which is contesting around 100 seats in the assembly election in the state.

While, Bahujan Vikas Aaghadi, which is also contesting around 100 seats, was directed to be allotted the common symbol of 'whistle'.

The nomination for the Oct 13 election starts from Sep 18.

Senior counsel K K Venugopal, appearing for MNS, had pleaded that if the exclusive symbol was not alloted, it would confuse the voters most of whom are illiterate.

OneIndia News