STATE ELECTION COMMISSIONS

Recognition of political parties and use of election symbols at elections to Panchayats and Municipalities.

Election Commission's letter No. 3/5/96/JUD-II Dated: 9th February, 1996 addressed to (1) The Chief Secretaries of all States Union Territories. and (2) The Chief Electoral Officers of all States and Union Territories.
______________________________________________________________________

Subject: Recognition of political parties and use of election symbols at elections to Panchayats and Municipalities - regarding.

I am directed to state that the Election Commission of India registers political parties under Section 29A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951. Some of these registered parties have been recognised by the Commission either as National parties or as State Parties and election symbols have been reserved for these recognised parties under the provisions of the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968. The Commission also specifies lists of free symbols for each State/Union Territory for allotment to candidates set up by registered-unrecognised political parties and independent candidates.

2. The notifications issued by the Election Commission of India in respect of such recognised National and State parties, registered-unrecognised political parties and free symbols are not ipso facto applicable in relation to elections to Panchayats and Municipalities, etc., held under the jurisdiction of the State Election Commissioners appointed under Article 243K and 243 ZA of the Constitution of India.

3. Requests have been received from some of the State Election Commissioners to allow them to recognise the political parties as have been recognised by Election Commission of India (ECI) and use their reserved symbols in relation to elections to Panchayats and Municipalities, etc. under the local laws as applicable to the conduct of those elections. Further, requests have also been made to allow the use of free symbols as have been specified by the Commission for various States/Union Territories and also to procure the symbol blocks of such reserved and free symbols from the manufactures as have been approved by the ECI for manufacturing those symbol blocks.

4. The above requests of the State Election Commissioners have been duly considered by the Election Commission of India.

5. In the interest of the political parties which contest elections both to Parliament and State Legislature and also to Panchayats and Municipalities, etc., and to avoid any confusion in the minds of electors in the matter of identification of political parties and their election symbols, the Election Commission of India has accepted that the State Election Commissioners may, for the sake of uniformity, recognise the National and State parties as recognised by the Election Commission of India and use the symbols reserved for them, as also the free symbols for the purposes of elections to Panchayats and Municipalities.

6. It is requested that the State Election Commissioner may kindly bear in mind the following points in relation to recognition of political parties and allotment of election symbols:-

(i) The National Parties and the States Parties recognised by the Election Commission of India may be recognised under the very same name by the State Election Commissioners.

(ii) The National Parties and the State Parties recognised by the Election Commission of India may be allowed to use only those very symbols which are reserved for them by the Election Commission of India and not any other symbol.

(iii) If any interim or final order is passed by the Election Commission of India recognising/derecognising a political party or a group in a recognised National/State Party in pursuance of the provisions of symbols order, it may be taken note of by the State Election Commissioners for making necessary changes in the list of recognised National and State Parties maintained by them.

(iv) The State Election Commissioners may also use the symbols specified by Election Commission of India as free symbols. It may, however, kindly be ensured that facsimiles of the symbols are same as adopted by the Election Commission of India.

7. The Commission has approved the following two firms whose name and addresses are given below for preparation of symbols blocks.

M/s Times Engineering Works, ------------------------------------------Tel:-73500

8, Manavarthipet, M.R. Lane,

Bangalore-560 053.

M/s Ideal Cottage Industries, -----------------------------------------------Phone :-

Chandpole Bazar,----------------------------------------------------------------(1) 321 891 (O)

Jaipur - 302 001 -----------------------------------------------------------------(2) 316 488 (Factory)

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------(3) 312 866 (R)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Fax : 0141-132 866

8. The Station Election Commissioners may procure symbol blocks from the above firms, if they so desire.

9. It is hoped that the State Election Commissioners will take all necessary steps to ensure that no confusion is caused in the minds of the public while voting at elections to the House of the People/Legislative Assemblies as also at elections to the local bodies entrusted to the State Election commissioners because of dissimilarity in the symbols adopted at these elections.

10. The receipt of this letter may kindly be acknowledged.



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