Notice to poll panel on plea for MNS' de-recognition

The Delhi High Court Wednesday issued notice to the Election Commission on a plea seeking suspension of recognition of the MNS as a political party for its alleged use of "hate language " against non-Marathi people on its website.

A division bench of Chief Justice G. Rohini and Justice R.S Endlaw sought response from the poll panel by Nov 5.

The court was hearing a petition filed by advocate Mithilesh Kumar Pandey, seeking direction to de-recognize the Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) for using hate language and for violating the model code of conduct.

The MNS on its website had said: "The MNS will fight to its last breath to eliminate the interference of the non-Marathi power-mongers from outside in the state's politics and social life, thereby reinforcing the existence of Maharashtra for the Marathi manus (people)."

The plea, filed against the commission, the Maharashtra government, the MNS and Thackeray, said the MNS members have routinely made hate speeches against people from northern India.

"They have disturbed communal harmony by making inflammatory statements against people belonging to different religions/regions and distorted their impression of the Hindu religion/particular region and ideology," it said.

Pandey told the court that on Aug 26, the poll panel "wrongly" held that MNS cannot be de-recognized as it has already removed the objectionable contents from its website.

The poll panel's decision came after the court had disposed of Pandey's similar plea on the issue and asked commission to expeditiously decide his complaint seeking de-recognition of the MNS.