Lok Sabha polls 2019: Party symbols and recognition; how Election Commission decides on related matters

Every time a new political party seeks a symbol, seeks recognition as a state or national party, or warring factions within parties lay claim to the party symbol, the Election Commission of India decides on these matters in accordance with the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) (Amendment) Order, 2017. The order was first promulgated in 1968 under the People’s Representation Act, 1951, to “provide for specification, reservation, choice and allotment of symbols at elections in parliamentary and Assembly constituencies, for the recognition of political parties in relation thereto and for matters connected herewith”. [caption id=“attachment_6404141” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Congress and BJP’s party symbols on colourful materials. AFP[/caption] According to the order, party/candidate symbols are either reserved or free. A reserved symbol is one that is meant for a recognised political party, whereas a free symbol is one that is up for grabs by any party or individual. For example, the Congress symbol of a hand and the BJP’s lotus are reserved symbols and can only be used by candidates from the respective parties contesting in an election. The Election Commission recognises seven national parties and 52 state parties. Also, there are more than 1,900 unrecognised political parties at present. Conditions for recognition as a national party Under the order, for a political party to be recognised as a national party, it has to fulfill one of the following three conditions: - Candidates fielded by the party in four or more states in the last Lok Sabha or Assembly elections should have received at least 6 percent of the total valid votes polled in each of state. Additionally, the party should have sent at least four members to the Lok Sabha in the last general election from any state or states. - During the last Lok Sabha election, the party should have won at least 2 percent of the total seats in the Lok Sabha, and its candidates should have been elected to the House from no less than three states. - The party should be recognised as a state party in at least four states. Allotment of symbols Batsman, cauliflower, gramophone and tea filter — you might wonder what these four have in common. They are all among the nearly 200 free symbols up for grabs by any political party or candidate to use while contesting an election. To get a symbol allotted, the candidate will have to provide a list of three symbols in order of preference from the free symbols list at the time of filing nomination papers. One of the preferred three will be allotted to the candidate on a first-come-first-served basis. The Election Commssion will reject any other symbol chose from outside the free list. Two or more recognised parties can have the same symbol if they are not contesting in the same state or Union Territory. For example, both Bahujan Samaj Party and Asom Gana Parishad use the elephant symbol. If the former decides to contest in Assam, it will have to do so using a different symbol. The same applies to the Federal Party of Manipur and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam — both use the rising sun symbol. Who gets the symbol if a party splits? Under paragraph 15 of the order, the Election Commission has the power to decide which faction of a political party, after it splits, gets to use the allotted symbol. With the Samajwadi Party, the poll watchdog allotted the bicycle symbol to the Akhilesh Yadav faction. The Election Commission can also freeze the symbol and ask both factions to choose a fresh one, as it had done with AIADMK's two leaves symbol row . List of party symbols Here is a list of India’s recognised national parties and the symbols allotted to each of them: 1) All India Trinamool Congress – flowers and grass 2) Bahujan Samaj Party – elephant (in all states and Union Territories except Assam) 3) Bharatiya Janata Party – lotus 4) Communist Party of India – ears of corn and sickle 5) Communist Party of India (Marxist) – hammer, sickle and star 6) Indian National Congress – hand 7) Nationalist Congress Party – clock Here is a list of recognised state parties and the symbols allotted to them: Andhra Pradesh Telangana Rashtra Samithi – car Telugu Desam Party – bicycle YSR Congress Party – ceiling fan Arunachal Pradesh People’s Party of Arunachal – maize Assam All India United Democratic Front – lock and key Asom Gana Parishad – elephant Bodoland People’s front –nangol Bihar Janata Dal (United) – arrow Lok Jan Shakti Party – bungalow Rashtriya Janata Dal – hurricane lamp Rashtriya Lok Samata Party – ceiling fan Chhattisgarh Janta Congress Chhattisgarh (J) – farmer ploughing (within square) Goa Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party – lion Goa Forward Party – coconut Haryana Indian National Lok Dal – spectacles Jammu and Kashmir Jammu and Kashmir National Conference – plough Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party – bicycle Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party – ink pot and pen Jharkhand AJSU Party – banana Jharkhand Mukti Morcha – bow and arrow Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (Prajatantrik) – comb Rashtriya Janata Dal – hurricane lamp Karnataka Janata Dal (Secular) – a female farmer carrying paddy on her head Karnataka Jantha Paksha – Yet to be allotted Kerala JD(S) – a female farmer carrying paddy on her head Kerala Congress (M) – two leaves Indian Union Muslim League – ladder Revolutionary Socialist Party – spade and stoker Maharashtra Maharashtra Navnirman Sena – railway engine Shiv Sena – bow and arrow Manipur Naga People’s Front – cock People’s Democratic Alliance – crown National People’s Party – book Meghalaya United Democratic Party – drum Hill State People’s Democratic Party – lion National People’s Party – book Mizoram Mizo National Front – star Mizoram People’s Conference – electric bulb Zoram Nationalist Party – sun (without rays) Nagaland Naga Peoples Front – cock National Capital Territory Aam Aadmi Party – broom Odisha Biju Janata Dal – conch Puducherry AIADMK – two leaves All India NR Congress – jug DMK – rising sun Pattali Makkal Katchi – mango Punjab Shiromani Akali Dal – scales AAP – broom Sikkim Sikkim Democratic Front – umbrella Sikkim Krantikari Morcha – table lamp Tamil Nadu AIADMK – two leaves DMK – rising sun Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam – nagara Telangana All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen – kite TRS – car TDP – bicycle YSR Congress Party - ceiling fan Uttar Pradesh Rashtriya Lok Dal – hand pump Samajwadi Party – bicycle West Bengal All India Forward Bloc – lion Revolutionary Socialist Party – spade and stoker