Kolkata, September 21 (Daily Kiran) : The All India Secular Front (AISF), which holds a single seat in the West Bengal Assembly, has approached the Kolkata High Court to contest the Election Commission’s (ECI) decision to allocate the ‘Envelope’ election symbol to a breakaway faction of the Trinamool Congress led by Ritabrata Banerjee.
Last week, the ECI granted the ‘Envelope’ symbol to the faction, now named the ‘Democratic Trinamool Congress.’ In contrast, the AISF received a new symbol, ‘Almirah.’
AISF leaders, particularly their MLA, Nawasad Siddiqui, have raised objections to this decision. Siddiqui won his assembly seat in the Bhangar constituency of South 24 Parganas using the ‘Envelope’ symbol in both the 2021 and 2026 elections.
On Monday afternoon, Siddiqui filed a petition in front of Justice Krishna Rao, challenging the ECI’s ruling. He stated, “The AISF has been contesting elections under the ‘Envelope’ symbol since our formation in 2021. I was elected using this symbol in 2021 and 2026. How can a recently formed party like the Democratic Trinamool Congress be allocated the same symbol?”
Additionally, the ECI changed the election symbol for another party in West Bengal, the Aam Janata Unnayan Party (AJUP), which previously held the ‘CT’ symbol but has now been assigned the ‘Table’ symbol. Humayun Kabir, the party’s leader, did not express any objections to this change.
The AJUP is preparing for the upcoming by-elections in the Rejingar constituency, while the AISF is gearing up for the by-election in Nandigram, East Midnapore district, scheduled for next month. Voting for both constituencies will take place on October 6, with counting set for October 9.
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