On Wednesday, the Madras High Court rejected a petition that requested the Election Commission of India (ECI) to revoke the allocation of the lotus flower symbol to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

The plea filed by T Ramesh, founder of the Tamil Nadu-based Ahimsa Socialist Party, was dismissed by a Bench comprising Chief Justice SV Gangapurwala and Justice D Bharatha Chakravarthy.

Ramesh argued in his plea that as the lotus flower is designated as India’s "national flower," assigning its symbol to any political party is inappropriate, contending that such allocation undermines national integrity.

During the proceedings on December 8, 2023, Ramesh had argued that the lotus symbol held religious significance along with its status as a national symbol. Consequently, he contended that the Election Commission of India had violated its own rules by allocating it to the BJP.

When questioned by the Chief Justice about how he was personally affected by the allotment, Ramesh asserted that other parties had faced discrimination and were experiencing "gross injustice." In response, the Court instructed him to deposit ₹20,000 as evidence of his sincerity in pursuing the matter.