New Delhi, Mar 12 (UNI) The Delhi High Court today restrained the Election Commission (EC) from allotting 'Chakra Haldhar' symbol of Janata Party to any candidate in the Lok Sabha and assembly elections.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice M K Sarma and Justice Sanjiv Khanna directed the EC not to give the symbol of the party to any candidate till the disposal of the petition.

Former Union Minister and Janata Party President Subramanium Swamy, appearing in person, submitted that the EC would do grave injustice by not allotting the symbol to the party, with which the people of the country had been associated for the past 30 years.

While adjourning the matter for final hearing for April 14, the Court issued notice to the EC to file a reply to the allegations in the petition.

''There was a nexus between the EC and the recognised party to deprive some of the parties of their symbols and club them with the independents,'' Mr Swamy contended.

In a petition, Mr Swamy sought the direction of the court to the EC for allowing the party the symbol at least in the coming Assembly election in Uttar Pradesh and local bodies election in Madhya Pradesh.

It was the fundamental right of a person and a party under the Article 14 to use the party symbol, which was granted to it, he argued.

Janata Party was formed in 1977 and had formed a government at the Centre and in various states.

However, the party had lost its popularity among the people and had been derecognised by the EC.

The party has one member in Rajya Sabha and two MLAs in Andhra Pradesh Assembly.

UNI