IEP Chandigarh, June 5
The Haryana State Election Commission has released a notification regarding the allocation of election symbols for the upcoming municipal elections in the state. The revised list includes symbols to be allotted to candidates from national and state-level parties participating in the election of Mayor and members of the Municipal Corporation. Furthermore, a list of free symbols has been issued for candidates of registered unrecognized political parties for general and bye-elections to municipalities in the state.
According to the notification, the symbols have been reserved for national parties namely broom for Aam Aadmi Party, elephant for BSP, lotus for BJP, daati, hammer, and star for the Communist Party of India (Marxist), hand for Indian National Congress, and book for the National People’s Party. State-level parties have also been allocated symbols, with spectacles reserved for the Indian National Lok Dal and the key for the Jannayak Janata Party.
In addition, a comprehensive list of 51 free symbols has been issued for the Mayor and members of the Municipal Corporation. These symbols includes objects to represent diverse aspects of society, such as air conditioner, cupboard, apple, axe, balloon, bell, blackboard, brick, bridge, brush, bunch of grapes, bus, camera, carrom board, chair, coconut tree with fruits, cot, wall clock, crane, dholak, door, corn, scythe earrings, electric switch, flower and grass, gas stove, hand mill, damru, mango, necktie, embroidery, pen and dawat, peepal leaf, lantern, jug, matka, pressure cooker, rickshaw, road roller, rolling pin, scissor, ship, shirt, spade, sword, tap, gulli danda, torch, karni, sarangi, whistle, and hand watch.
For Municipal Corporation members, the list of free symbols comprises various items such as aeroplane, auto rickshaw, bat, cycle, boat, arrow and bow, bucket, candles, car, bullock cart, ceiling fan, comb, conch shell, farmer raining grains, cup and plate, drum, electric bulb, frock, gas cylinder, glass tumbler, hand pump, harmonium, hat, hockey and ball, jeep, jug, kettle, kite, ladder, lady purse, letter box, lock and key, plough, radio, locomotive, ring, rising sun, scooter, weighing balance, sewing machine, slate, shovel and spade, stool, table fan, table lamp, telephone, television, two leaves, two swords and a shield, umbrella, and wall clock.
In cases where there is a shortage of free election symbols for mayor candidates, the allocation process will be temporarily halted until symbols have been assigned to all candidates for the municipal corporation wards. Similarly, if a shortage of symbols occurs for municipal corporation members, the remaining free symbols for the position of Mayor can be allocated to the member candidates.
Furthermore, the State Election Commission has outlined guidelines for unrecognized political parties registered with the Election Commission of India. Such parties can apply to contest general or bye-elections of the Municipal Corporation using any of the free symbols offered by the State Election Commission. The application must be submitted within three days of the election notification issued by the Commission. Upon review of the applications, the State Election Commission may assign the desired free symbol to the party, granting them permission to participate in the elections using that symbol.