EC asked to decide if elephant statues in UP are poll symbols

Posted by 233news.com February - 22 - 2010

The Supreme Court on Monday put the onus on the Election Commission to decide whether installation of statues of elephants at the cost of the state exchequer by Uttar Pradesh government in Lucknow and Noida amounts to putting up of BSP’s election symbol.

A Bench comprising Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan and Justices Deepak Verma and B S Chauhan granted three months to the Election Commission to decide the issue even as Uttar Pradesh government contended that the statues of elephants are not the election symbol of Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), but a welcome symbol.

“We have given reply to the Election Commission that the elephants installed in parks are not the election symbol of the party as alleged, but a welcome symbol.

“Even in the North Block and South Block here, You have elephants statues,” senior advocate and Mayawati’s close aide S C Mishra told the Bench. Mishra, who is the General Secretary of BSP and appearing along with senior advocate Harish Salve for Uttar Pradesh government, said statues of elephants are also found in temples and “the distinction is quite clear”.

The bench was hearing a PIL filed by two advocates Ravi and Sukumar who have accused the UP government of misusing public money for installation of statues of the Dalit leaders, including Mayawati, and the party symbol elephant at various places in the state.

The Bench said “we have to look what is the solution.

More money will be spent for removing the statues. Who will give the mone? From where the money will come?”