Poll symbol confusion: In relief to NCP (SP), free poll symbol to be called ‘trumpet’ in Marathi, not ‘tutari’

In its order on Thursday, the state Chief Electoral Office stated that the Election Commission recognised the NCP (SP) as a state-level party on March 26 while allocating the symbol ‘Man blowing turha’ to the party and mentioned its Marathi translation as ‘Tutari vajavnara manus’.

Poll symbol confusion, Maharashtra Assemblu Election, NCP (SP), free poll symbol, Marathi, tutari, supriya sule, Indian express news

Chief Electoral Officer S. Chockalingam (File Photo)

In some relief to the NCP (SP) ahead of the Assembly elections in Maharashtra, the state Chief Electoral Officer has decided to call the ‘Trumpet’, which is in the list of free poll symbols, as ‘Trumpet’ in Marathi as well instead of ‘Tutari’, which was creating confusion with the poll symbol of the Sharad Pawar-led party.

The Election Commission of India (ECI) had earlier this year allocated the poll symbol ‘Man blowing turha’ to the NCP (SP), which, translated in Marathi, is called ‘Tutari vajavnara manus’. However, the list of free symbols also has the ‘Trumpet’, called ‘Tutari’ in Marathi, which was used by an Independent candidate during the Lok Sabha polls. The NCP (SP) had claimed that as both the symbols — the one allotted to the party and the free symbol — were called ‘Tutari’ in Marathi, it created confusion among voters during the Lok Sabha polls because of which it lost votes. The party had then approached the state election office, urging it to drop the symbol ‘Trumpet’ from the free list of symbols.

“We had demanded that the ‘Trumpet’, which was creating confusion among voters, should be removed from the list of free symbols. We came to know that the name of ‘Trumpet’ in Marathi has been changed. It will be called ‘Trumpet’ in Marathi as well instead of ‘Tutari’. It is better to have something rather than not have anything. I thank the election office for the decision. It was necessary as we proved with data the setback our party suffered in the Lok Sabha elections due to the confusion arising from the phonetic overlap of both symbols,” NCP (SP) working president and MP Supriya Sule said.

In its order on Thursday, the state Chief Electoral Office stated that the Election Commission recognised the NCP (SP) as a state-level party on March 26 while allocating the symbol ‘Man blowing turha’ to the party and mentioned its Marathi translation as ‘Tutari vajavnara manus’.

The symbol ‘Trumpet’ in the list of free symbols was also translated in Marathi as ‘Turari’. “The Marathi translation of both symbols have phonetic overlap and is creating confusion during the election campaign. The NCP (SP) had requested not to pronounce the free symbol as ‘Tutari’. There are multiple words for translation of ‘Trumpet’ but again it would create confusion so it has been decided to name the symbol as ‘Trumpet’ in Marathi as well,” said M R Parker, secretary to the Chief Electoral Officer, in the order to all district election offices and returning officers of Assembly constituencies.

Ajay Jadhav

Ajay Jadhav is an Assistant Editor with The Indian Express, Pune. He writes on Infrastructure, Politics, Civic issues, Sustainable Development and related stuff. He is a trekker and a sports enthusiast. Ajay has written research articles on the Conservancy staff that created a nationwide impact in framing policy to improve the condition of workers handling waste. Ajay has been consistently writing on politics and infrastructure. He brought to light the lack of basic infrastructure of school and hospital in the hometown of Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde even as two private helipads were developed by the leader who mostly commutes from Mumbai to Satara in helicopter. Ajay has been reporting on sustainable development initiatives that protects the environment while ensuring infrastructure development. ... Read More

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