The Supreme Court on Tuesday posted to March 27 the hearing of the writ petition filed by Praja Rajyam Party, floated by Telugu superstar Chiranjeevi [Images] seeking a common election symbol to the party to fight Lok Sabha and Assembly elections in Andhra Pradesh.

The party is seeking rail engine as the symbol. A three-judge bench of Justices B N Aggrawal, G S Singhvi and H L Dattu said the matter would be heard along with a similar petition filed by Tamil actor Vijaykanth heading Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam party in Tamil Nadu.

Praja Rajayam general secretary and Chiranjeevi's brother-in-law Allu Arvind filed the petition after the Election Commission had on March 3 rejected the party's plea for a common symbol on the ground that it was not a recognized political party.

Under the election commission's rules, a party can be alloted a "common symbol", with which a party can contest in all constituencies, and treated as a recognized politcal party only if it secures a minimum of six per cent votes in any previous election.

According to Praja Rajayam, the party would be put at a disadvantage if it is not alloted a common symbol as a majority of the electorates are illiterates.