EC will assign a symbol if NCP fails to choose from list: secretary

The Election Commission (EC) has once again sent a letter to the National Citizen Party (NCP) asking them to select an electoral symbol from the designated list.

EC Secretary Akhtar Ahmed said at a briefing on Tuesday that if the NCP fails to inform the commission of their chosen symbol according to the election conduct rules next Sunday, the EC will allocate one to the NCP using its “own method”.

The EC has decided to register two parties, including the NCP, ahead of the 13th parliamentary election. The process of publishing a gazette notification, including the symbols for the two parties, is currently under way.

Previously, the EC had written to the NCP on Sept 30, asking them to select a symbol from the 50 symbols on the list by Oct 7.

When the NCP failed to pick a preferred symbol by the deadline, they requested a revision of the rules to allocate the Shapla (water lily) symbol to the party. However, the EC remains firm in its position not to allocate that symbol to any party.

Akhtar said, "Even though the NCP is demanding the Shapla, it could not be allocated as it is not on the list. The EC's decision remains the same.

"The commission believes there is no need to include Shapla in the list. The party has been asked to select a symbol from the list and inform us by Oct 19. If they fail to do so within this time frame, the EC will allocate a symbol to the party using its own method."

The NCP has already declared that it will not accept registration without the Shapla symbol. When asked whether political instability would arise if the EC allocated another symbol under its own initiative in this situation, the EC secretary replied:

"That's their concern. It is a matter of time; we shall see what happens when the time comes."

Akhtar, however, did not explain the EC's “method” for allocating a symbol if the NCP does not choose from the list.

SYMBOL ALLOCATION GUIDELINES

Justice Abdur Rouf-led commission, during the 5th parliamentary election in 1991, followed five principles for allocating party symbols:

•    Symbols allocated to political parties in the 1979 and subsequent parliamentary elections will be retained as far as possible.

•    The party's past and present membership, as well as its participation and results in previous elections, will be considered.

•    Symbols claimed by a political party specifically for a single symbol will be reserved for that party.

•    If multiple political parties claim the same symbol, they will be requested to reach a decision. Should they fail, the commission will adopt its own method for symbol allocation. A lottery will be used if necessary.

•    The EC will consider, as far as possible, the preference of political parties that submit multiple choices for symbol allocation.

The EC secretary also mentioned that the information for 12 other parties, in addition to the two to already be added, is currently undergoing re-verification for registration.

He said: "Central and field-level information inquiries are ongoing. Which of these parties will be registered will be finalised next week."

A total of 143 parties applied for registration ahead of the parliamentary election, of which 121 have been rejected.

The EC has fallen behind its work plan by at least two weeks, as the registration process was originally scheduled to be finalised by September.