CHENNAI: The Madras High Court (MHC) dismissed the petition, which preferred to direct the Election Commission of India (ECI) not to allot the lotus symbol to the BJP for the elections.

The first division bench comprising Chief Justice S V Gangapurwala and Justice D Bharatha Chakravarthy, directed the petitioner to pay Rs. 10,000 to the legal services from the bonafide amount paid by him.

A petitioner, T Ramesh, president of the Ahimsa Socialist Party from Namakkal, moved the HC seeking to direct the election commission to cancel the allotment of the lotus symbol to the BJP.

The petitioner stated that the allotment of the lotus symbol, the national flower of the nation, to a political party (BJP) is unjust and contended that allotting the lotus symbol to a political party is a disgrace to national integrity.

Further, he contended that his representation before the election commission to cancel the allotment of the lotus symbol to the BJP was not considered, which is against the principle of natural justice.

The petitioner also filed an additional petition in support of his prayer, stating that the Lotus is a religious flower for Hindus, hence the symbol should not be allocated to the BJP.