PIL challenging EC's order on draping statues filed in HC

A Public Interest Litigation challenging the Election Commission’s order to cover statues of elephant, the BSP’s election symbol, in poll-bound Uttar Pradesh was filed in the Allahabad High Court today. The PIL was filed by Dheeraj Singh, a city-based social activist, through his counsel Anil Singh Bisen. Challening the EC’s order, the PIL contended that the elephant represented venerable Hindu deity Lord Ganesha and draping its statues could hurt religious sentiments, Bisen said. [caption id=“attachment_176893” align=“alignleft” width=“380” caption=“AFP”]  [/caption] The petition is likely to come up for hearing on January 11, he said. Last Saturday, the EC ordered that all statues of Chief Minister Mayawati and her party symbol elephant installed at various places in the state be covered until the assembly poll process was over in the state. Chief Election Commissioner SY Quraishi had said the directive should be implemented at the earliest as the matter related to the model code of conduct. The ruling BSP had termed the order as “one-sided and against natural justice”. PTI