The Delhi High Court on Friday asked the Election Commission if the rebel faction of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam led by TTV Dinakaran (pictured above) can use the hat as their symbol while contesting the upcoming bye-election in the RK Nagar constituency, The Hindu reported.
Dinakaran moved the court on Thursday after the poll panel awarded the party’s two-leaves symbol to the faction led by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami and his deputy O Panneerselvam on November 23. Dinakaran’s faction also sought interim directions permitting it to use the hat symbol to file nomination papers.
The faction led by Palaniswami, however, argued that only the returning officer can decide if the Dinakaran faction can be allotted the symbol.
Reacting to the court’s directive, Dinakaran said he would accept whatever symbol the court would allot his faction. “The ‘two-leaves’ symbol is the symbol for which Amma [former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa] stood and it should not go to anti-people and traitor government,” he added.
The RK Nagar seat fell vacant after its MLA, former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, died in December 2016.
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