EC and Party Symbols

In News

• The Election Commission of India (ECI) ordered that the Eknath Shinde camp of the Shiv Sena will retain the official name and the ‘bow and arrow symbol of the party.

About

• Role of ECI in Alloting Symbols:
  • The Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968 empowers the EC to recognise political parties and allot symbols. 
  • Evolution of Symbol order:
    • Before 1968, the ECI issued notifications and executive orders under the Conduct of Election Rules, 1961.
    • The Election Commission of India (ECI) promulgated Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order in 1968  to deal with the allocation of symbols.
  • Provisions:
    • Symbols order has provisions regarding the registration and recognition of political parties as state and national parties.
    • Under Paragraph 15 of the Order, it can decide disputes among rival groups or sections of a recognised political party staking claim to its name and symbol.
  • As per the guidelines, to get a symbol allotted:
    • A party/candidate has to provide a list of three symbols from the EC’s free symbols list at the time of filing nomination papers.
    • Among them, one symbol is allotted to the party/candidate on a first-come-first-serve basis.
    • When a recognised political party splits, the Election Commission decides on assigning the symbol by evaluating the support enjoyed by a claimant in both  organisational  and legislative wings. within the political party.
    • Where it is not possible to decide which group has a majority, the EC may freeze the party’s symbol and allow the groups to register with new names.

Source:  TH