In a significant legal maneuver, Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) General Secretary Vaiko has approached the Madras High Court (MHC), urging the Election Commission of India (ECI) to allocate the ‘TOP’ symbol to his party for the upcoming 2024 Parliament election and the 2026 Tamil Nadu State assembly election.

In his affidavit submitted to the court, Vaiko underscored MDMK’s longstanding participation in electoral processes since 1996 as a registered and recognized political entity. He highlighted that the ‘TOP’ symbol had been reserved for MDMK by the ECI under the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order 1968, based on the party’s consistent engagement in elections over the years.

Despite the ECI’s decision to de-recognize MDMK in 2010, Vaiko emphasized that the ‘TOP’ symbol was retained for the party under Section 10A of the Election Symbols Order 1968. He further pointed out discrepancies in the ECI’s representation of MDMK’s electoral performance, citing instances where the party’s vote share was inaccurately reported.

Vaiko stressed that the ‘TOP’ symbol holds significant relevance to MDMK’s identity and electoral presence, as it is not a free symbol designated by the ECI and is unclaimed by any other political entity. He argued that allocating the ‘TOP’ symbol to MDMK would facilitate voter recognition and contribute to fostering fair and free elections.

Despite repeated representations made to the ECI seeking the allocation of the ‘TOP’ symbol, Vaiko lamented the lack of action on the part of the electoral body. With Parliament election dates potentially looming, Vaiko urged the MHC to intervene and direct the ECI to allocate the ‘TOP’ symbol to MDMK promptly. Additionally, he sought the court’s intervention to rectify the de-recognition of the party by the ECI.