EC call on NCP symbol soon; LJP seeks time to respond
Election Commission of India has a task at hand — deciding on symbols of key regional parties embroiled in dispute.
The two cases before ECI are related to Maharashtra's Nationalist Congress Party and Bihar's Lok Jantantrik Party. While NCP is part of INDIA bloc, LJP is in NDA fold.
Another one is related to Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena. While its original 'bow and arrow' symbol has been given to the Eknath Shinde faction, the free symbol allocated to it — 'mashaal' or torch — is in dispute.
Uday Mandal-led Samata Party, which once held the symbol and fought 2022 UP civic polls under it, has urged ECI to withdraw 'mashaal' from the UT Sena. The issue has been dragged to courts too.
The NCP symbol dispute will be watched out most closely. ECI has completed all hearings under the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968.
ET has learnt that a verdict on the symbol — the analogue alarm clock on the tricolour — is expected soon.
While Ajit Pawar faction has claimed legislative majority, Sharad Pawar faction has claimed organisational strength at ECI hearings.
LJP's 'bungalow' symbol was frozen by ECI on October 2, 2021, ahead of bypolls to Tarapur and Kusheshwar Asthan assembly constituencies. The Chirag Paswan and Paras factions were allocated helicopter and sewing machine symbols, respectively, and used different party names.
ECI had then said that a final call will be taken after the due data is provided by both factions.
