Kicking off preparations for the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections, the Election Commission (EC) Friday decided to accept applications from political parties for the use of common symbols for their candidates.
“The Commission has decided to accept applications seeking allotment of Common Symbol under Para 10B of the Election Symbols (Reservation & Allotment) Order, 1968 for the General Election to the Legislative Assembly of Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir with immediate effect,” an EC statement said.
Under Para 10B, the candidates of registered, unrecognised parties can be allotted a common symbol. For recognised national and state parties, the common symbols are already reserved and no other party can apply for use of the same.
Usually the process of applications for common symbols starts six months before the term of an Assembly is to end.
But since J&K has not had an Assembly since it was dissolved in 2018, the EC decided to start the process now, a source said.
According to EC sources, a short-term special summary revision of the electoral roll would be carried out before the Assembly elections. The decision to start taking applications for common symbols was the first step, they said.
Last year, the Supreme Court ordered the Election Commission to hold the J&K Assembly elections by September 30, while upholding the August 5, 2019 abrogation of Article 370 and splitting the erstwhile state into two Union Territories.
Leave a comment
Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *