EC accuses BSP of non-cooperation in poll symbol row

NEW DELHI: The Election Commission has moved the Supreme Court complaining that Bahujan Samaj Party, headed by UP chief minister Mayawati, was adopting stalling tactics in petitions seeking cancellation of its election symbol ‘elephant’.

The EC said BSP had repeatedly stonewalled the commission’s queries on details of the number of statues of elephants and that of Mayawati installed at public/private places using government funds between 2007 and 2010 along with photographic evidence.

It urged the apex court to direct BSP to furnish all relevant information sought by the commission in relation to the charges levelled by petitions, which accused the ruling party of installing a large number of statues of Mayawati and elephants on public expense.

In the petition filed by advocates Ravi Kant and Sukumar, the EC said BSP had taken a stand that EC had no jurisdiction to ask for any information despite the body being constitutionally mandated to conduct and supervise elections, which included allotment of election symbols and arbitrating any dispute relating to it.