Ayya Pattali Makkal Katchi v. Election Commission Of India

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IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI

+ AYYA PATTALI MAKKAL KATCHI .....Petitioner Through:

Mr. Satvik Verma, Sr. Advocate with Mr. Irshad Ahmad Khan, Dr. K. Arul, Mr. Rahul kumar, Mr. Balram and Ms.

Shivani Swaraj, Advocates.

versus ELECTION COMMISSION OF INDIA .....Respondent Through:

Ms. Rohini Prasad and Ms. Ashika Ranjan, Advocates.

CORAM:

HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE AMIT BANSAL

O R D E R

% 06.02.2026 1.

The present writ petition has been filed seeking the following reliefs:- 2.

On 11th November 2025, the respondent/Election Commission of India (hereinafter 'ECI') issued a notification for allotment of Common Symbol The authenticity of the order can be re-verified from Delhi High Court Order Portal by scanning the QR code shown above.

under paragraph 10B of the Election Symbols (Reservation & Allotment) Order, 1968.

3.

The petitioner applied for registration of its political party on 2nd December, 2025. The application was duly acknowledged by ECI. 4.

On 16th December, 2025, the petitioner wrote to the respondent/ECI to expedite the application of the petitioner. On 23rd December, 2025, the respondent/ECI sent a communication to the petitioner pointing out certain deficiencies in the application filed by the petitioner. The petitioner responded to the said application on 7th January 2026, stating that they have cleared the deficiencies raised by the respondent/ECI.

5.

Issue Notice.

6.

Notice is accepted by counsel for the respondent/ECI. 7.

Mr. Satvik Verma, senior counsel appearing on behalf of the petitioner, submits that on 31st January 2026, the respondent/ECI pointed out another deficiency, which was promptly responded to by the petitioner on 5th February 2026.

7.1.

The aforesaid communications are not a part of the writ petition and have been handed over in Court and are taken on record. 8.

The letter dated 31st January 2026, sent by ECI to the petitioner, is set out below:

The authenticity of the order can be re-verified from Delhi High Court Order Portal by scanning the QR code shown above.

9.

The reply dated 5th February 2026 sent by the petitioner to the respondent/ECI to the aforesaid communication, is set out below: The authenticity of the order can be re-verified from Delhi High Court Order Portal by scanning the QR code shown above.

The authenticity of the order can be re-verified from Delhi High Court Order Portal by scanning the QR code shown above.

10.

Ms. Rohini Prasad, counsel appearing on behalf of the respondent/ECI The authenticity of the order can be re-verified from Delhi High Court Order Portal by scanning the QR code shown above.

submits that the respondent/ECI will process the petitioner's application and proceed with the verification exercise, which entails verification of the office address of the petitioner party as well as sample of 20 individual affidavits submitted by the petitioner party along with the application. 11.

Mr. Verma urges that the aforesaid process be completed by the respondent/ECI in an expeditious manner since the elections to the Tamil Nadu State Assembly are likely to be held in March/April, 2026. He placed reliance on an order passed by a Coordinate Bench on 15th December 2025 in W.P.(C) 18945/2025 titled as 'All India Dharmayugam Makkal Katchi v. Election Commission of India'. The relevant extracts from the said order are set out below:

"13. At this stage, learned counsel for the petitioner expresses urgency and submits that the ECI may expedite the process.

14. Considering the submissions made before this Court, since the ECI is awaiting information from the District Election Officer, the ECI is directed to communicate with the District Election Officer, District- Kanyakumari to give the requisite information, expeditiously.

15. Further, it is directed that the ECI shall do the needful within a period of eight weeks, in accordance with law.

16. With the aforesaid directions, the present writ petition, along with pending application, is accordingly disposed of." 12.

Considering the submissions made on behalf of counsel for the parties, the respondent/ECI is directed to process the application filed by the petitioner and carry out the verification process in an expeditious manner. 13.

The writ petition is disposed of in the aforesaid terms. AMIT BANSAL, J FEBRUARY 6, 2026 Vivek/- The authenticity of the order can be re-verified from Delhi High Court Order Portal by scanning the QR code shown above.