The High Court of Karnataka on Thursday directed the Election Commission to consider the representation made by the Aam Aadmi Party for recognition as a national party as per law, and take a decision by April 13. Justice M Nagaprasanna observed that it was the responsibility of the Commission to independently assess the representation and take a decision.
The Court directed that the Commission take a decision by April 13 and dispose of the petition. Alleging that the Election Commission of India has kept its representation for recognition as a national party ‘under review’, the AAP approached the HC with the petition on Wednesday. The party’s advocate informed the court that it had made a representation to the Commission on December 19, 2022 and a reminder e-mail was sent on March 15, 2023. It claimed that it had submitted all the requirements under The Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968, Clause 6B to the Commission, but there has been no action on it. The party is recognised as a state party in Delhi, Punjab, Goa and Gujarat. It had contested in the Gujarat elections in 2022 and submitted the details of the votes it had secured there to the Commission and sought recognition as a national party as per Clause 6B of the Act.The AAP pointed to the condition that a party which obtains six per cent of the votes in four different states would be eligible for recognition as a national party.