NEW DELHI: India’s election commission Thursday recognized the Akali Dal (Mann) as a state party in Punjab, where it emerged the majority party in the recent elections to the lower house of parliament.
The recognition was given after a two-hour meeting that party president Simranjit Singh Mann had with chief election commissioner R. V. S. Peri Shastry here,
The commission has reserved the “lion” symbol for the party, on which it had fought the general elections in November last year.
The commission also acceded to Mann’s request to reserve the “lion” symbol exclusively for the party in the coming assembly elections in the western state of Rajasthan.
Briefing newsmen, commission secretary K P G Kutty said the party had been recognized as a state party in Punjab on the basis of its poll performance in the general elections.
The party had won six of the 13 seats and polled 29 per cent of the valid votes in the state.
The commission had already recognized the Akali Dal (Longowal) and the Akali Dal (Badal) as state parties in Punjab during the general elections.
Article extracted from this publication >> February 9, 1990
