Delectable poll symbols up for grabs

Then there are 8216;pressure cooker8217;, 8216;railway engine8217;, 8216;walking stick8217;, and 8216;sewing machine8217; too on the platter offered by the Election Commission to the candidates keen to contest the polls scheduled for November 29 in the national capital.

For that matter, if you are keen to stand apart in the crowd of independent candidates there is a 8216;hat8217; to wear this polls or just carry 8216;candles8217; if you think elections are the means to dispel darkness around you.

8220;There are over 59 free symbols that one can choose from for the ensuing polls in Delhi,8221; Deputy Chief Electoral Officer JK Sharma said.

8216;Glass tumbler8217;, 8216;cup and saucer,8217; 8216;cake,8217; 8216;ice cream8217; 8216;jug8217; and 8216;kettle8217; are also available as election symbols available to candidates or political parties to use as an identity at the electoral ballot when the voters cast their franchise on the D-day.

Among eatables 8216;bread8217;, and 8216;banana8217; also figure as choices. Animals are no longer used as poll symbols due to a new order following protests by animal activists after the BSP had managed to bag the 8216;elephant8217; symbol.

In Delhi there are around 1.2 crore electorate who can exercise their franchise at nearly 10,80038 polling stations located across the national capital.

There are seven national parties who have permanent election symbols and around 949 registered unrecognised parties and 33 state parties across the country.

8220;The symbols chosen are such that they can be easily understood, remembered and recognised by the average voter,8221; Sharma said adding that the Commission has stipulated that all the symbols used should be standard throughout India.

Thus, the BJP8217;s 8216;lotus8217; or Congress 8216;hand8217; symbol will not be allotted to any other party or individual, even if the BJP does not have a candidate in a particular constituency or state. A party is considered a national party only if it is represented in at least four states and/or Union territories. Then there are the state parties, which are allotted certain symbols that no other party can use in that particular state,but which different parties in different states can use.

For instance Samajwadi Party and Panther Party are using poll symbol 8216;cycle8217; in Uttar Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir respectively, an official from the election office Said.