SC leaves it to EC to decide on 'pressure cooker' symbol to Dinakaran's party

New Delhi, Feb 7: Supreme Court on Thursday refused to give 'pressure cooker' symbol to TTV Dinakaran's party Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK).

However, the apex court gave TTV Dhinakaran 'pressure cooker' symbol temporarily for the Thiruvarur bypoll.

The Delhi High Court had on March 9 last year directed the Election Commission (EC) to allot a common symbol, preferably that of a 'pressure cooker', and a name to the then AIADMK (Amma) faction led by Dinakaran.

A bench of justices A M Khanwilkar and Ajay Rastogi said if the high court does not dispose of the pending case regarding allocation of symbol within four weeks then the EC may proceed as per the March 9, 2018 order.

In 2018, TTV Dinakaran launched his Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK) whose election symbol will be the 'pressure cooker' with which he handsomely won the RK Nagar by elections in December last.

TTV had to approach the Delhi High court to get the symbol - originally allotted to him as an independent - to be reserved for his newly formed party and also a direction to the EC register his new party.

Thiruvarur assembly bypoll:

Bypolls to Tamil Nadu's Thiruvarur assembly constituency, which has been vacant since the death of DMK patriarch M Karunanidhi in August, have been cancelled. The state government and the Thiruvarur administration had appealed for deferment saying they were preoccupied with relief work after Cyclone Gaja.

The Election Commission has scrapped its January 3 notification announcing the by-election on January 28.