Election Commission's concession to unrecognized parties on poll symbol

Registered unrecognised political parties and those who lost their recognition more than six years ago will now get a common symbol for their candidates if they contest more than 10 per cent of the total seats. The Election Commission has allowed all such political parties to apply for the same six months ahead of elections instead of just before the elections.

The concession to a particular party for a common symbol will, however, be available only as a one-time facility and a party, which has availed of the facility, will not eligible for a concession in any subsequent election. The concessions to candidates put up by such parties comes in the wake of repeated requests from parties which could not contest on a common symbol in the state or in parliamentary poll.

The Election Commission has now notified the new Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Amendment Order, 2013, which will be effective from July 15. The new EC Order replaces the earlier Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968, and allows concessions to candidates set up by registered (unrecognised) parties and to unrecognised parties which were earlier recognised more than six years ago, provided they fulfil some conditions.

Among the parties to benefit from the Election Commission concession will be the Aam Aadmi Party of Arvind Kejriwal, Karnataka Janata Party of BS Yeddyurappa and People's Party of Punjab (PPP) of Manpreet Singh Badal, besides others like Loksatta Party in Andhra Pradesh.