EC relaxes common symbol norm for unrecognised parties | India News
New Delhi: The Election CommissionIn a move aimed at strengthening de facto registered unrecognized political parties (RUPPs), Saturday amended the Election Symbols Order to allow all candidates fielded by RUPPs to use a common symbol, provided the party secured at least 1% of the total valid votes cast in one of the two previous elections held in a given state. Earlier, the provision allowed this exemption for the third time only if the RUPP contested on a common symbol in the previous two elections in that state and polled at least 1% of the valid votes cast in the last election held. According to Section 10(b) of the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allocation) Order, 1968, a common symbol may be used by all candidates of a RUPP who have previously used this concession in any two Lok Sabha elections, any two Assembly elections or one Lok Sabha election and the State Assembly elections, as the party may choose.EC sources said the amendment was made to facilitate RUPPs who performed well in the first election using the common symbol concession but failed to garner the minimum 1% of valid votes in the state’s subsequent elections. “It was felt that even if they meet the 1% vote share criteria in one of the last two polls contested, they must be given a third chance,” an EC official said.“The idea is to facilitate genuine RUPPs to participate in the democratic and electoral process. This is in contrast to the stringent action initiated last year against defunct and defunct RUPPs, as part of which a total of 808 RUPPs were delisted. The delisting was due to the RUPPs not providing respectable conditions as stipulated. Elections and/or annual financial statements such as contribution reports, annual audit reports and expenditure statements to the Election Commission in the last six years. Non-filing of returns. RUPPs are entitled to benefits like income tax exemption, a common vote symbol and choice of individual candidates on the ballot paper etc.
