Supreme Court Dismisses Petition Challenging Election Symbol Allotment

October 24, 2023

The Supreme Court’s recent decision to dismiss a petition by the Bharat Rashtra Samiti (BRS) party in Telangana, challenging the allotment of election symbols to other parties, has raised questions about the process of symbol allocation in Indian politics.

How Are Symbols Allotted?

The Election Commission of India (ECI) is responsible for allocating symbols to political parties. This process is governed by The Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968, which outlines the rules for symbol allocation. Symbols can be either “reserved” for recognized political parties or “free” for unregistered parties.

Reserved vs. Free Symbols

Recognized national and state parties are granted exclusive symbols, reflecting their identity and values. Unrecognized registered parties, on the other hand, can choose from a pool of free, non-exclusive symbols. These symbols are open for selection by other parties in subsequent elections.

Publication of Symbols

The EC publishes lists of parties and their symbols through notifications in the Gazette of India. As of the latest notifications, there are six national parties, 26 state parties, and 2,597 registered unrecognised parties, each with its unique symbol.

Symbol Origins

Many of the symbols, such as a bicycle, elephant, and broom, were conceived by ECI officials in brainstorming sessions, led by the late MS Sethi. These symbols were chosen to resonate with the common man’s daily life. Over time, the list has expanded to include contemporary symbols like a bowl of noodles and a mobile charger.

Preferences of Political Parties

Unregistered parties are required to provide a list of ten preferred symbols from the free symbols catalog. They can also propose three new symbols for consideration by the EC, provided they do not resemble existing symbols, have no religious or communal connotations, and do not depict animals or birds.

Symbol Allocation in Party Splits

When recognized political parties experience internal splits, the Election Commission decides on symbol allocation. For example, the Congress party, initially symbolized by a pair of bulls, eventually adopted the hand symbol following splits within the party. The EC also handles requests from factions within parties for unique symbols while considering factors like religious connotations and existing symbol usage.

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