Kolkata, Feb 25 (IANS) The office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), West Bengal, on Wednesday sent its formal recommendation to the headquarters of the Election Commission of India (ECI) in Delhi for the registration of Janata Unnayan Party (JUP), the new political party floated by suspended Trinamool Congress legislator Humayun Kabir from the Bharatpur Assembly constituency in the minority-dominated Murshidabad district of West Bengal.

According to sources in the CEO’s office, Humayun Kabir had submitted his application seeking registration of his newly floated political party within the stipulated time frame and in accordance with the prescribed procedures laid down by the Election Commission of India.

“Kabir made a timely application for the registration of the political party floated by him. After thoroughly scrutinising and verifying the credentials and supporting documents submitted along with his application, the office of the Chief Electoral Officer finally recommended registration of the political outfit to the Election Commission of India.

In all probability, his party will receive registration and symbol allotment in due course and hence will not face any difficulty in fielding candidates for the West Bengal Assembly elections scheduled to be held later this year,” an insider from the CEO’s office said.

The source also said that Humayun Kabir may receive formal approval for the registration of his political party from the Election Commission of India within the next 15 days, subject to completion of the required procedural formalities at the Commission’s level.

“He is yet to submit a formal application for allotment of an election symbol, which he can do after the Election Commission grants registration to his party,” the CEO’s office insider added.

Humayun Kabir was suspended from the Trinamool Congress soon after he announced the foundation stone laying ceremony of a proposed mosque structure at Beldanga in Murshidabad district, which he had said would be constructed in line with the architectural design of the original Babri Masjid structure in Ayodhya that was demolished on December 6, 1992.

Subsequently, on December 22, Humayun Kabir formally announced the name of his new political party, Janata Unnayan Party, and also declared the names of key office-bearers of the organisation.

On the same occasion, he also announced the names of some prospective candidates who would contest the West Bengal Assembly elections scheduled later this year.

Humayun Kabir had also made a public appeal for alliance with political parties and groups opposed to both the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Trinamool Congress ahead of the forthcoming Assembly elections.

However, except for initial discussions with the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), founded by Asaduddin Owaisi, his efforts to forge broader political alliances have not made significant progress so far, sources added.

–IANS

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