With farmers’ agitation holding centre stage, unrecognised political parties are clamouring for farm-related symbols to contest the upcoming Assembly polls.
Sugarcane farmers (ganna kisan), farmers driving tractors (tractor chalata kisan) and jackfruit and coconut farms are among the symbols issued by the poll body to registered unrecognised political parties ahead of the Assembly polls in five States. According to the Election Commission (EC), 60-70 political parties have approached the poll body seeking registration in the past two three months.
These symbols assume significance in the current scenario amid farmers protests in several States over the new farm laws. Apple, capsicum, cauliflower, ginger, grapes, green chilli, lady finger, peanuts, pears, peas, pineapple, water melon, tiller and walnut are also available for symbols.
“Apple as a symbol is available for all States and union territories except in the States of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, Tripura, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka,” the EC said. It maintains a pool of hundreds of symbols which represent aspects of everyday life in India.
The Bharatiya Janaseve Congress has been given ganna kisan symbol for Kerala, Assam and Puducherry. The poll body has allotted tractor chalata kisan to the All India Kisan Janatha Party which is gearing up to contest from West Bengal. The Makkal Neethi Katchi-India has been allotted the symbol of “man blowing turha” for Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Puducherry and West Bengal.
The Anna Puratchi Thalaivar Amma Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam has been allotted Jackfruit to contest in Tamil Nadu.
Ramdass Athawale's Republican Party of India will contest in all five States and it has been given symbol "cup and saucer" for Kerala, Assam, West Bengal and Puducherry, while "helicopter" has been allotted for Tamil Nadu.
Desiya Sirupanmayinar Makkal Iyakkam has been allotted coconut farm. Ahimsa Socialist Party in Kerala has been given tractor chalata kisan symbol. MakkaI Munnetra Peravai is given a symbol of bat while Nagrik Vikas Party has been given hockey and ball as a symbol to contest in five States.
"However, the symbol shall be available for allotment as free symbol to other candidates in the constituencies where the aforesaid party does not actually set up its candidates," the EC said.
Symbols are used by parties in their campaigning and printed on ballot papers where a voter must make a mark to vote for the associated party. One of their purposes is to facilitate voting by illiterate people, who cannot read parties' names on ballot papers.
The poll body said that the Returning Officers may be directed to allot the common symbol mentioned above to the candidates set up by the aforesaid registered un-recognized political parties, subject to fulfillment of the provisions of Para 13 of the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968 relating to setting up of candidates by these parties. "It may also be noted that said common symbols allotted to the candidates of the above mentioned political parties, are not allotted by oversight to any other candidates in these constituencies," the EC said.
According to the EC, 60-70 political parties have approached the poll body seeking registration in the past two three months. The parties include Samajik Nav Nirman Party, Sarv Samaj Party (Secular), Hindustan Rashtreeya Party , Sattathagam Makkal Katchi, Akhand Rashtriya Rakshak Party, Bangali Nabanirman Sena, Bharatha Makkal Katchi , Bharatha Sevai Katchi , Indian Believer's Party , Jan Sahara Party , Swatantrata Abhivyakti Party, Thakkam, Tamilnadu Marxist Party , and Vishwa Jagriti Party .
