Bombay High Court rejects VBA’s plea over election symbol dispute in Maharashtra
The Bombay High Court has dismissed a petition by the Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) challenging the Maharashtra State Election Commission’s (SEC) handling of election symbol allocation for upcoming local body polls. The party had contested the SEC’s decision to treat the ‘gas cylinder’ as a free symbol instead of reserving it for the VBA, which had previously used it in Lok Sabha and Maharashtra Assembly elections. The ruling comes as the SEC introduces new guidelines to regulate symbol allocation, aiming to prevent duplication and improve transparency in future elections.
The VBA argued that it should not be penalised for failing to meet a condition made impossible by the SEC’s delay in holding elections. Prakash Ambedkar, the VBA chief, called the decision arbitrary, pointing out that the party had never had the opportunity to contest local body elections in Maharashtra. Under state rules, a registered but unrecognised party can secure a free symbol only if it wins at least 5% of seats in the previous local body election—a condition the VBA could not meet without prior participation.
The SEC maintained that the Election Commission of India’s (ECI) rules did not bind it and directed the VBA to approach each local body individually for symbol allocation. A bench of Chief Justice Shree Chandrashekhar and Justice Gautam Ankhad ultimately rejected the plea, upholding the SEC’s stance.
Separately, the Maharashtra SEC has now issued fresh instructions to streamline symbol allocation. The new guidelines restrict duplicate symbol usage, reserve symbols based on clear criteria, and ensure greater fairness in the allotment process for future local body elections.
The court’s decision leaves the VBA without its preferred symbol for local body elections. The SEC’s updated guidelines will now govern how symbols are assigned, requiring parties to meet specific conditions for reservation. Future elections will see stricter oversight, with returning officers deciding symbol allotment during the election process itself.
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