Madras High Court Seeks ECI's Response On Plea By PMK's Ramadoss Regarding Allotment of Mango Symbol

The Madras High Court has directed the Election Commission of India to respond to a plea filed by Pattali Makkal Katchi founder Dr. S Ramadoss, alleging that the ECI's communication regarding allotment of “Mango “ symbol to the party was wrongly communicated to the party's former President Anbumani, who was no longer in the party. The bench of Chief Justice Manindra Mohan Shrivastava and Justice G Arul Murugan directed the ECI and the Chief Electoral Officer of the State of Tamil Nadu to respond to the plea within 3 weeks. Though Senior Advocate NL Rajah, appearing for Anbumani, informed the bench that his client should also be heard in the case, the court refused citing that Anbumani had not been made a party in the case. The plea has been moved by the Pattali Makkal Kachi (PMK) party represented by its founder and present president Ramadoss seeking to quash an earlier communication sent by ECI to Anbumani informing that the party has been allotted “Mango” symbol for the upcoming 2026 elections. The plea also seeks to issue a fresh communication to Ramadoss's address. In his plea, Ramadoss stated that the PMK party was a registered but unrecognised party. He stated that Anbumani had been the President of the party for a three year tenure rom May 28, 2022 to May 28, 2025 and the same had been communicated to the ECI. Ramadoss alleged that Anbumani had committed fraud on the ECI and created documents without any authority to mislead the ECI as if Anbumani continued to be the party president. Ramadoss stated that there was no provision in the party's byelaws that allowed an extension of tenure without the convening a general body meeting. Ramadoss also pointed out that the letters forged by Anbumani were also challenged before the Delhi High Court, in which Ramadoss's submission that he was the party's present President and that Anbumani's tenure as president expired after 3 years was taken on record. He stated that the present communication, sent by the ECI on July 30, 2025 communicating that the party was allotted “Mango” symbol was wrongly sent to Anbumani's address based on the forged documents submitted by him. The plea thus sought to quash this communication and issue a fresh communication to the new address, i.e., the address of Ramadoss. Case Title: M/s. Pattali Makkal Katchi v. The Election Commission of India and Another Case No: WP 3418 of 2026

Madras High Court Seeks ECI's Response On Plea By PMK's Ramadoss Regarding Allotment of Mango Symbol

Upasana Sajeev

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