Hinting at Assembly poll, EC invites applications for symbols from parties

New Delhi, June 8

The Election Commission (EC) has invited applications seeking the allotment of “common symbols” from registered unrecognised parties in Jammu and Kashmir, days after the poll body had indicated its readiness for conducting Assembly poll here.

According to a notification issued by the EC on June 7, it has decided to seek the allotment of the symbols under Para 10B of the Election Symbols (Reservation & Allotment) Order, 1968, with “immediate effect”.

While the recognised national and state parties have their “reserved symbols”, registered unrecognised parties have to apply for them to field candidates in the election. Under the Election Symbols order, any registered unrecognised political party can apply for a “common symbol” six months prior to the end of the term of a House.

However, as there is no functional Assembly in J&K now, the EC has invited the applications. The move by poll body comes just a week after Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar had said that the panel would begin the election process in the Union Territory “very soon”.

Last year, the Supreme Court had directed the EC to hold Assembly elections in the UT latest by September 30, 2024. Once the schedule for the Assembly poll is announced, it will be for the first time that they will be held after the abrogation of Article 370 on August 5, 2019, in the UT. The last Assembly elections were held in J&K in 2014.