The Election Commission of India (ECI)'s decision allotting the election symbol “two leaves” to the Kerala Congress faction led by Jose K. Mani was stayed by the Kerala High Court for one month.
It was on a petition filed by P.J. Joseph, who heads the rival faction in the party, that the Single Judge passed the order on Friday. The court posted the case for detailed arguments on October 1.
The order was passed by the court through video conferencing.
In his petition, Mr. Joseph had challenged the ECI order declaring the faction led by Mr. Mani as the official KC(M) and granting the election symbol to it. Contending that the ECI's decision as illegal, Mr. Joseph stated that he was the working chairman of the party.
He also submitted that he had been discharging the duties and functions as the chairman of the party as envisaged in the party constitution.
Mr. Joseph submitted that the ECI failed to consider the available facts and circumstances in the case and overstepped its jurisdiction by declaring that the group led by Mr. Mani was entitled to use the name and the symbol under the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968.
Passing the order, the Single Judge directed the ECI and the parties to the litigation to file affidavits.
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