Election Commission adds ‘Shapla Koli’ to list of election symbols

The newly-registered National Citizen Party has been demanding the water lily as their election symbol

The Election Commission has issued a gazette adding the “Shapla Koli” or “water lily bud” to the list of accepted election symbols.

The revision to the election regulations was issued in a notice signed by EC Secretary Akhtar Ahmed on Thursday.

With the parliamentary election approaching, the EC decided to approve registration to two political parties, including the National Citizen Party (NCP).

The commission had earlier sent a letter to the NCP, giving it until Oct 7 to select an election symbol from among the 50 listed in the official schedule.

However, instead of choosing from the approved list within the deadline, the NCP demanded the “Shapla” symbol by amending the regulations.

The EC repeatedly said that since the Shapla was not on the official list of election symbols, it could not be allocated to the NCP.

In response, NCP leaders warned that they would contest the election using the Shapla symbol and launch a protest against the EC if their demand was not met.

At a programme in Kishoreganj last Sunday, the party’s chief organiser for the northern region, Sarjis Alam, said: “If the NCP has to take to the streets to secure the Shapla symbol, it will also wage a movement to reform this autocratic Election Commission.”

Amid such steadfast positions and warnings from Sarjis and other NCP leaders, the EC added “Shapla Koli” to the list of election symbols.

Earlier, on Sept 24, the EC had revised the list of symbols to 115, though it did not include the Shapla at that time.

With the addition of four new symbols this time -- Shapla Koli, stairs, handshake, and sunflower -- the total number of electoral symbols now stands at 119.