How are Symbols allotted to Political Parties in India?

Context: The Supreme Court recently denied a petition by a political party in Telangana that was challenging the allocation of election symbols. This has brought attention to the significance of political symbols in India and how they play a role in shaping the political landscape of the country. The article explores the process of symbol allocation and its impact.

Election Symbols:

• The Election Commission of India assigns electoral symbols to parties based on their ideology and position. National parties are given exclusive use of their assigned symbol.
• An electoral symbol is a symbol given to an independent candidate or political party by an election commission for use on election ballots.
• Symbols are utilised by political parties during campaigning and displayed on ballot papers to assist illiterate individuals in voting, as they are unable to read the names of candidates on the ballots.

Types:

• Reserved and Free Symbols:

Symbols can be reserved for recognized political parties or chosen by candidates from unrecognised registered parties. Unrecognised parties are those that don’t meet the criteria for state party recognition.

• Exclusive Symbols:

Official national and state parties are given sole rights to use certain symbols that represent their recognized status.

How do political parties choose symbols to represent themselves?

• Unacknowledged political parties present a compilation of their top ten preferred symbols sourced from the vast pool of available symbols.
• Parties have the opportunity to suggest a maximum of three fresh symbols to be taken into account, as long as these symbols do not bear any resemblance to already reserved or free symbols, have no religious or communal associations, and do not portray any birds or animals.
• If the ECI considers a proposed symbol appropriate, it has the authority to designate it as the official symbol for the party.

How did symbols like clock, lotus, hen, etc. enter the EC’s list?

• The symbols were created by MS Sethi, a retired ECI employee, in 1992. They were designed to be easily recognizable and relatable to the average person.
• Some well-known symbols, like the bicycle, elephant, and broom, were created during these meetings.
• Symbols that represent modern times, such as a bowl of noodles and a mobile charger, have been added to the symbol list over the years.
• The group also suggested some unusual objects, such as glasses, a nail cutter, and even a necktie that became popular among English-speaking people after Independence. 
• The ECI created a list of 100 sketches in the late 1990s that contained symbols representing “free” objects. As of January 2023, this list has expanded to include items like a bowl of noodles and a mobile charger.

Symbols Allocation Authority: ECI

The ECI is in charge of assigning symbols to political parties according to the guidelines set out in The Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968. This order aims to control the process of specifying, reserving, choosing, and assigning symbols during elections.

Conclusion:

The process of assigning election symbols in India is carefully regulated by the ECI’s guidelines and these symbols are important in political campaigns as they represent the parties’ identities and ideologies. Knowing the background and complexities of symbol allocation offers valuable understanding of India’s ever-changing political scenario.

Source: IE

Practice question:

Q. Who is in charge of assigning symbols to political parties according to the guidelines set out in The Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968

1. Supreme court
2. Delimitation commission
3. Election commission
4. Lok sabha secretariat

 

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