Calcutta High Court rejects ISF challenge over election symbol reassignment

The Calcutta High Court has dismissed a petition by the Indian Secular Front challenging the Election Commission’s reassignment of the envelope election symbol. The symbol was allotted to the newly formed Democratic Trinamool Congress, while the ISF was given the almirah symbol. Justice Krishna Rao pronounced the dismissal in court on Wednesday.

The ISF argued that it had used the envelope symbol in the 2024 Lok Sabha election and the 2026 Assembly election. It objected to the Election Commission’s decision to reassign the symbol and asked the court to direct that it be frozen. The party questioned whether the poll body had exercised its powers reasonably in reallocating the symbol.

The petition was filed after the Election Commission assigned the envelope to the DTC. The Election Commission argued that the ISF was a registered but unrecognised political party. Its lawyer said that, unlike recognised parties such as the BJP or Congress, the ISF did not have a right to retain a particular symbol.

The poll body also told the court that the envelope had been allotted to the ISF for use in only two elections. Its position was that the earlier allocation did not create a permanent entitlement. The court’s dismissal means the Election Commission’s reassignment remains in place, according to the supplied material.

The ISF will use the almirah symbol rather than the envelope symbol. The ruling concerns the allocation of an election symbol and the rights of a registered but unrecognised political party. The source does not provide details of any further legal challenge or the response of the Democratic Trinamool Congress.