EC registers AMMK as political party, says no similarities in name with AIADMK

The Election Commission, which this week registered the TTV Dhinakaran-led Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam as a political party, overruling the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam's objection, said on Friday there's "no similarity in the names of the two parties".

It also rejected AIADMK's another objection against AMMK for using the word "Amma" in its name, saying it did not find any merit in that as it was a commonly used word to refer to the mother.

In Tamil Nadu, AIADMK cadres normally refer to former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa as "Amma".

The EC order, signed by its secretary Dilip K Verma, was sent to AMMK general secretary Dhinakaran, the nephew of Jayalalithaa's friend V N Sasikala.

Dhinakaran won the RK Nagar Assembly constituency in Chennai in a by-election after the death of Jayalalithaa in Dec 2016. Jayalalithaa was elected from the seat earlier.

EC sources said since AMMK had become a registered political party, preference would be given to it in the allotment of symbols among the free symbols during polls. However, it would not be applicable in the forthcoming local bodies poll in Tamil Nadu as it was conducted by the state election department.

On AIADMK's objection that Dhinakaran was expelled from it and disowned by Jayalalithaa when she was alive and hence he had no locus standi to start a party in her name, the EC said the claim had nothing to do with the eligibility of a party to get registered.

The AMMK had cited precedents of political parties with similar names being registered.

The EC had registered Aam Aadmi Party, led by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, and another political party with the name AAP.

For AMMK, to become a recognised state party, all the candidates fielded by it should get at least six per cent of the total votes polled in an election to a Lok Sabha/State Legislative Assembly.

As per Section 29A of the Representation of the People's Act, 1951, when an application is received for registration, the Commission invites for objections, if any, by giving a one-month notice. The party is registered, subject to fulfilment of other conditions, if there is no objection.

If there are objections, the commission hears both the parties and then decides.