EC reserves verdict on Samajwadi Party ‘cycle’ symbol

TIL Desk/National/New Delhi/The Election Commission on Friday reserved its verdict on the Samajwadi Party dispute after a four-hour hearing during which the Akhilesh and Mulayam factions presented arguments to claim the party’s ‘cycle’ symbol.

“The Election Commission has informed us that they will give the verdict in due time,” said Kapil Sibal, counsel for the Akhilesh faction of the party. During the first part of the hearing, the Akhilesh camp argued that the majority of party MPs, MLAs and MLCs as well as the SP delegates are with the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister.

The counsel for Mulayam, who was in the national capital with brother Shivpal, is learnt to have told the poll panel there was no rift in the party, just “adminttrative dispute” which Mulayam can sort out as the party chief. After the split in the party earlier this month, the factions led by Mulayam and his son Akhilesh had approached the commission staking claim over the party and the symbol ‘cycle’.

Both the sides had also submitted some documents to further their claim and the commission had given them time till January 9 to provide signed affidavits of legislators and office bearers to claim control over the party’s name and symbol.