KOCHI: Veteran Kerala Congress (M) leader PJ Joseph on Tuesday approached the Kerala High Court challenging the Election Commission's order declaring the group led by Jose K Mani as the official Kerala Congress (M) party and granting the official election symbol of “two leaves” to the faction.
In his petition, PJ Joseph argued that he is the elected working chairman of the party. Meanwhile, Jose K Mani claimed that he was the elected chairman of the party at a state committee meeting held on June 16 last year. However, the civil court held that the meeting and election was prima facie not valid. The court also restrained Jose K Mani from officiating as chairman and discharging the
functions.
The Election Commission of India by a 2:1 majority order had held that the group led by Jose K Mani is the official Kerala Congress (Mani) and is entitled to use the name of the party. The Commission also granted the symbol to the Jose faction. PJ Joseph contended that the decision was illegal. The order of the civil court cannot be ignored by the Election Commission of India.
The Election Commission of India found that there were differences in the list of state committee members submitted before it. Instead of identifying the 450 members of the state committee or dropping the proceedings, the Commission purportedly created a body of 305 members, who were common in the list submitted by both factions, and mechanically applied a majority test, he said.