SHILLONG, DEC 15: The opposition All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) on Thursday filed an interim application before the Meghalaya High Court for derecognizing the ruling National People’s Party and withdrawing its symbol.
In a statement, AITC national spokesperson Saket Gokhale said the interim application was filed in the Meghalaya High Court praying that the NPP be de-recognized and its symbol withdrawn until the case filed by him against the NPP’s non-filing of Meghalaya Elections, 2018 expenditure report is decided by the court.
He said the interim application has been moved considering that the Meghalaya High Court will be in recess till 27th January, 2022 by which time it is anticipated that elections to the Meghalaya Assembly 2022 will be notified. Therefore, the main case will, in all likelihood, not be heard before Meghalaya Assembly Elections, 2022.
“The NPP was de-recognized in 2015 by the Election Commission of India for the same default – i.e. non-filing of election expenditure statement in time,” Gokhale said adding “The application, therefore, prays that the Meghalaya High Court be pleased to pass an interim order directing the Election Commission to de-recognize the NPP and withdraw its election symbol considering the 2015 action as a precedent.”
He said under EC rules, election expenditure statements have to be filed within 75 days of conclusion of Assembly polls.
However, despite 3 notices being issued by the EC to the NPP over the last 4.5 years, the party has failed to submit its election expenditure statement till date in violation of EC rules & the judgment of the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India in the matter of Common Cause vs. Union of India & Ors. (MR 1996 SC 3081), he added.
By Our Reporter
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