K.K. Srivastava, J. - This Election Petition has been filed by an unsuccessful candidate S. Kuljit Singh seeking the setting aside of the election of the respondent Smt. Laxmi Kanta Chawla, the successful candidate returned to the Assembly of Punjab Vidhan Sabha Constituency No. 18, Amritsar Central in the election held on 7.2.1997.

2. The grounds on which the election of the respondent as member Legislative Assembly of Punjab Vidhan Sabha is sought to be set aside, are that the election Symbol which was alloted to the petitioner initially was "Umbrella", which was changed by the Returning Officer without any notice to the petitioner and instead the symbol of Electric Bulb was allotted to him and this greatly prejudiced the petitioner in-as-much as he had gone to the voters in canvassing for himself with the Symbol Umbrella. It was urged that wide publicity of the said Symbol was made amongst the electorates. The petitioner had started his election compaign and had addressed various public meetings by putting the banners of his election Symbol of Umbrella. The petitioner got a good response from the electorates who were expected to cast their votes in his favour. It has bee