Conch in Govt Ads: Delhi High Court Gives BJD a Pass, BJP Shifts Battle to Orissa HC

Bhubaneswar: The Delhi High Court on Friday declined to entertain a plea seeking to restrain the Odisha government from utilizing the election symbol of the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) in promotional materials related to welfare schemes.

The bench, comprising Acting Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora, conveyed to Jatin Mohanty, the General Secretary of the Odisha unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), that this issue is not unique to one state and is prevalent nationwide.

The petitioner, Jatin Mohanty, was, however, granted permission to file the petition before the Orissa High Court. The bench emphasized that the cause of action had transpired in Odisha, making the state’s high court the appropriate forum to address the matter. Acting Chief Justice Manmohan stated, “Go there. Raise it over there. Everything happened in Odisha. Advertisements were done in Odisha…. This court is overburdened. We cannot do it in this manner…. They will decide, not us,” as per reports.

The Orissa High Court will now deliberate on the petition, considering the locus of the matter within the state.