HomeNewsPhotosPoliticsAs Thackeray, Shinde slug it out; here's all you need to know about political parties and election symbols
As Thackeray, Shinde slug it out; here's all you need to know about political parties and election symbols
Introduced to help illiterate voters cast their vote, election symbols have become an important part of India’s political tradition and have become internal to a party's identity
Uddhav Thackeray and Eknath Shinde factions of the Shiv Sena have formally submitted to the Election Commission three symbols and names each after the party’s ‘bow and arrow’ symbol was frozen by the poll panel. Election symbols were introduced to help illiterate voters cast their vote. Over time they have become an important part of India’s political tradition. Here’s all you need to know. (Image: News18 Creative)
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Symbols are used by political parties in their campaigning and by voters to identify the candidate or party they wish to vote for. (Image: News18 Creative)
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As per the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968, the Election Commission allots symbols to people and parties contesting the polls. (Image: News18 Creative)
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A party recognised in a particular state is allowed to "reserve" its symbol for elections in other states (provided it is not being used by anyone else). (Image: News18 Creative)
Independent candidates or candidates of unrecognised political parties have to approach the EC and get a symbol allotted from its list of "free" symbols. (Image: News18 Creative)
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Two parties can have the same symbol, provided they are not contenders in the same state or UT. (Image: News18 Creative)
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Until 1997, unrecognised parties would lose their symbols. Later, the EC modified its order to allow such parties to retain their symbol. (Image: News18 Creative)
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If a recognised political party splits, as is the case with the Shiv Sena, the Election Commission decides which faction can use the symbol. (Image: News18 Creative)
In an Interim order passed on October 8, the ECI froze the ‘bow and arrow’ election symbol of Shiv Sena. This means that both the Shinde and Thackeray factions will not be able to use the party’s name for the upcoming by-election to the Andheri (East) assembly seat in Mumbai. (Image: News18 Creative)
