Election Symbols in Indian Polity

🔹 Meaning:

• Election Symbol = A sign or picture allotted to a political party or candidate by the Election Commission of India (ECI).

• Used for identification of parties/candidates during elections, especially important in a country with low literacy.

---

🔹 Constitutional & Legal Basis

1. Article 324 → Gives ECI power of superintendence, direction & control of elections.

2. Representation of the People Act, 1951 → Provides rules related to elections.

3. Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968 → Issued by ECI under Article 324 → governs allotment, reservation, and recognition of symbols.

---

🔹 Types of Symbols

1. Reserved Symbol

   • Exclusive to a recognized political party.

   • Example: BJP → Lotus 🌸, INC → Hand ✋.

   • Cannot be used by any other party/independent.

2. Free Symbol

   • Common pool of symbols available to independent candidates or unrecognized parties.

   • Example: Chair, Ceiling Fan, Auto Rickshaw, etc.

---

🔹 Recognized vs Unrecognized Parties

• Recognized Parties:

  • Either National Party or State Party (criteria given by ECI).

  • Entitled to a reserved symbol.

• Unrecognized Parties:

  • Treated like independent candidates.

  • Must choose from free symbols list.

---

🔹 Importance of Symbols

• Helps voters (esp. illiterate) identify candidates/parties.

• Strengthens party loyalty.

• Simplifies ballot paper & EVM design.

---

🔹 Allotment Rules

1. Recognized party → Gets its reserved symbol in all constituencies.

2. State party → Reserved symbol in its state only.

3. Independent candidates → Choose from free symbols (on first-come, first-served basis).

4. If two independents want same symbol → Decision by lot/priority.

---

🔹 Famous Facts

• First General Election (1951-52): Symbols played a crucial role due to mass illiteracy.

• ECI is the final authority in disputes over symbol allocation.

• Split in a Party: ECI decides who retains the original symbol (based on majority support).

• Frozen Symbols: If two factions claim same symbol → symbol may be frozen & new temporary symbols allotted.

---

📌 Previous Year Questions (PYQs)

1. UPSC Prelims 2017
   The Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968 was issued under which constitutional article?

   • (a) 324

   • (b) 327

   • (c) 329

   • (d) 356
     ✅ Answer: (a)

2. SSC CGL 2019
   Which body has the power to allot election symbols to political parties?

   • (a) Parliament

   • (b) Election Commission

   • (c) President

   • (d) Union Cabinet
     ✅ Answer: (b)

3. RRB NTPC 2021
   “Lotus” is the election symbol of which party?

   • (a) Congress

   • (b) BJP

   • (c) CPI

   • (d) TMC
     ✅ Answer: (b)

---

📌 MCQs for Practice

1. Who has the authority to allot election symbols?

   • (a) Supreme Court

   • (b) Election Commission of India

   • (c) Parliament

   • (d) Prime Minister
     ✅ Answer: (b)

2. Which year was the Election Symbols Order issued?

   • (a) 1947

   • (b) 1951

   • (c) 1968

   • (d) 1975
     ✅ Answer: (c)

3. What is a "free symbol"?

   • (a) Symbol reserved for National Parties

   • (b) Symbol reserved for State Parties

   • (c) Symbol available for independents/unrecognized parties

   • (d) Symbol used by ECI only
     ✅ Answer: (c)

4. Who decides the symbol when a party splits into factions?

   • (a) Speaker of Lok Sabha

   • (b) President of India

   • (c) Election Commission of India

   • (d) Supreme Court of India
     ✅ Answer: (c)

5. “Hand” ✋ symbol is reserved for which party?

   • (a) Congress

   • (b) CPI

   • (c) BSP

   • (d) SP
     ✅ Answer: (a)