MDMK will continue to have 'top' as symbol: Vaiko

The MDMK would continue to have 'top'  as its symbol for the next six years despite the election commission de-recognising it as regional party in Tamil Nadu, party chief Vaiko said here today.

In a statement, he said the EC's order on the allocation of symbol had clearly stated that a derecognised party would be given the same symbol it had contested for the next six years.

He said though the party would not get time allotted for election broadcasts and telecasts, it would have its 'top' symbol till July 29, 2016.

The EC had provided this security to the de-recognised parties, he said. MDMK would get back its recognition as a regional party after next year's assembly polls, he claimed.

The rules regarding recognition of parties had clearly stated that a party, which had 6% of votes along with two MLAs could be recognised as a regional party, he said.   

The EC had not accepted the party's contention that the party had got 5.98 per cent of popular votes in the last assembly polls and that the percentage should be considered as 6%, he said adding even during presidential polls, the constitution clearly stated that fractions above point 5% should be considered as one percent.

The EC had yesterday announced that the MDMK had lost the
status of regional party in Tamil Nadu and the PMK in the Union territory of Puducherry as they got less votes than prescribed for qualification as regional parties.