New Delhi (Agency): The Supreme Court of India has delayed making a decision on a case involving the National Conference political party and the denial of its usual ‘plough’ symbol for candidates in the upcoming Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) elections. The decision is set to be announced on September 6.
During the court proceedings, Additional Solicitor General K M Natraj, representing the Union Territory administration and the election panel, argued that the election symbol order of 1968 does not apply to local body elections like the LAHDC polls. He also noted that out of 89 candidates reportedly belonging to the National Conference, none had requested the ‘plough’ symbol for these local elections.
“The poll process cannot be stalled,” Natraj said. He added that the election commission was not required to give reserved symbols to candidates for local elections. The last date to submit nominations for the LAHDC elections was August 23, and the elections themselves are planned for September 10.
The National Conference’s legal team countered by stating that the party had been in power in the Ladakh hill council. They argued that their candidates should not be denied the benefit of a reserved poll symbol. “A level playing field was denied to the National Conference,” they said, emphasizing that local body elections are also fought on party lines.
Earlier, the Supreme Court bench had termed as “unfair” the Union Territory administration’s refusal to grant the ‘plough’ symbol to the National Conference. “It is unfair… We will set aside the election schedule if the need arises,” the bench had observed on August 25.
The High Court had previously allowed National Conference candidates to use the ‘plough’ symbol. This ruling was despite the Ladakh administration’s plea against a single bench order that directed the National Conference to seek official permission for using the ‘plough’ symbol in the elections.
This case draws attention to the complexities involved in India’s electoral system, especially concerning symbols that political parties use to identify themselves to voters. Symbols are particularly important in a country with a high illiteracy rate, as they help voters easily identify the party they wish to vote for. The upcoming judgment could set a precedent for how party symbols are managed in local elections in the future.
