The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Saturday froze the party symbol of Lok Janshakti Party’s (LJP) disallowing both the factions of LJP not to use the party symbol.
In its order issued here on Saturday, the Commission said neither LJP faction lead by Chirag Paswan, the son of Dalit leader Ram Vilas Paswan, nor the faction lead by his uncle Pashupati Kumar Paswan are permitted to use the name of Lok Janshakti Party’ symbol till the ECI taken a final decision on the ongoing tussle between Chirag faction and Pashupati faction of the LJP.
In its five page order, the Commission said that neither of the two groups would be permitted to use the symbol ‘bungalow’, which is reserved for the ‘Lok Janshakti Party’. It further directed both the claimants to submit their point of view along with supporting documents by November 5 so as it could take the next steps to conclude the substantive hearing.
The Commission, however, said that both the groups could choose the name for their respective group and may link with their parent party. “Both the groups shall also be allotted such different symbols as they may choose from the list of free symbols notified by the Election Commission for the purposes of the current bye-elections, including 78-Kusheshwar Asthan (SC) and 164-Tarapur Assembly Constituencies in Bihar. 14”.
It asked both the groups to furnish the name of their party and the symbols which they wish to be allotted for the bye-elections by October 4. “They may indicate the names of three free symbols, in the order of their preference, any of which may be allotted to their candidates by the Commission,” the Commission stated.