AAP moves Delhi HC over registration of a political party with similar name

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal led Aam Aadmi Party has moved the Delhi High Court against the registration of another political party—Aapki Apni Party (Peoples) by the Election Commission..A single Judge Bench of Justice Siddharth Mridul has today issued notice to the Election Commission as well Aapki Apni Party..The Aam Aadmi Party has also sought to set aside a July 16, 2018 order of the Election Commission which had rejected its objection against the registration of Aapki Apni Party as a political party under Section 29-A of the Representation of People Act, 1951..It is Aam Aadmi Party’s objection that Aapki Apni Party has the same acronym i.e. AAP and a similar name..The registration, the Petitioner Party contends, was bad in law as it would also lead to confusion among the masses and “influence the sanctity of the elections”..The registration of two parties with a “deceptively similar” name and abbreviation would sabotage the whole process of free and fair election as envisaged as a party of Indian democracy, the petition states..The Petition also submits that the registration of Aapki Apni Party is contrary to Election Commission’s own official order dated May 19, 2014, wherein it held that the name of new political parties should not be similar to the names of existing political parties..The Aam Aadmi Party also believes that the registration of Aapki Apni Party from Delhi “clearly constitutes a part of an evil act” which will harm its goodwill and reputation..Aam Aadmi Party was represented by Advocate Anupam Srivastava..The Petition was filed through Advocates Anupam Srivastava, Shreya Mehta, Niharika, Dhairya Gupta and Divya Joshi.