How political parties and their election symbols are amusing voters

New Delhi, May 06: There are thousands of parties contesting the upcoming Lok Sabha election in India, the largest democratic event in history, which will stretch across 29 states and seven union territories between April 11 and May 19.

However, the main reason for the existence of political party symbols in India is obviously to help voters easily identify and remember the party and/or the candidate. It was back in 1951, that marked both the publishing of the first census in independent India and the commencement of the first general democratic elections. That is when the election commission figured it best to use images of objects of common use to sketch them in order to ensure that an overwhelmingly illiterate population could vote.

From Batsman, cauliflower, gramophone and tea filter are all catching eyes and raising eyebrows. There are all among the nearly 200 free symbols up for grabs by any political party or candidate to use while contesting an election.

How are party symbol alloted?

Every time a new political party seeks a symbol, seeks recognition as a state or national party, or warring factions within parties lay claim to the party symbol, the Election Commission of India decides on these matters in accordance with the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) (Amendment) Order, 2017.

List of party symbols

Here is a list of India's recognised national parties and the symbols allotted to each of them:

1) All India Trinamool Congress - flowers and grass

2) Bahujan Samaj Party - elephant (in all states and Union Territories except Assam)

3) Bharatiya Janata Party - lotus

4) Communist Party of India - ears of corn and sickle

5) Communist Party of India (Marxist) - hammer, sickle and star

6) Indian National Congress - hand

7) Nationalist Congress Party - clock

Here is a list of recognised state parties and the symbols allotted to them:

Andhra Pradesh

Telangana Rashtra Samithi - car

Telugu Desam Party - bicycle

YSR Congress Party - ceiling fan

Arunachal Pradesh

People's Party of Arunachal - maize

Assam

All India United Democratic Front - lock and key

Asom Gana Parishad - elephant

Bodoland People's front -nangol

Bihar

Janata Dal (United) - arrow

Lok Jan Shakti Party - bungalow

Rashtriya Janata Dal - hurricane lamp

Rashtriya Lok Samata Party - ceiling fan

Chhattisgarh

Janta Congress Chhattisgarh (J) - farmer ploughing (within square)

Goa

Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party - lion

Goa Forward Party - coconut

Haryana

Indian National Lok Dal - spectacles

Jammu and Kashmir

Jammu and Kashmir National Conference - plough

Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party - bicycle

Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party - ink pot and pen

Jharkhand

AJSU Party - banana

Jharkhand Mukti Morcha - bow and arrow

Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (Prajatantrik) - comb

Rashtriya Janata Dal - hurricane lamp

Karnataka

Janata Dal (Secular) - a female farmer carrying paddy on her head

Karnataka Jantha Paksha - Yet to be allotted

Kerala

JD(S) - a female farmer carrying paddy on her head

Kerala Congress (M) - two leaves

Indian Union Muslim League - ladder

Revolutionary Socialist Party - spade and stoker

Maharashtra

Maharashtra Navnirman Sena - railway engine

Shiv Sena - bow and arrow

Manipur

Naga People's Front - cock

People's Democratic Alliance - crown

National People's Party - book

Meghalaya

United Democratic Party - drum

Hill State People's Democratic Party - lion

National People's Party - book

Mizoram

Mizo National Front - star

Mizoram People's Conference - electric bulb

Zoram Nationalist Party - sun (without rays)

Nagaland

Naga Peoples Front - cock

National Capital Territory

Aam Aadmi Party - broom

Odisha

Biju Janata Dal - conch

Puducherry

AIADMK - two leaves

All India NR Congress - jug

DMK - rising sun

Pattali Makkal Katchi - mango

Punjab

Shiromani Akali Dal - scales

AAP - broom

Sikkim

Sikkim Democratic Front - umbrella

Sikkim Krantikari Morcha - table lamp

Tamil Nadu

AIADMK - two leaves

DMK - rising sun

Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam - nagara

Telangana

All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen - kite

TRS - car

TDP - bicycle

YSR Congress Party - ceiling fan

Uttar Pradesh

Rashtriya Lok Dal - hand pump

Samajwadi Party - bicycle

West Bengal

All India Forward Bloc - lion

Revolutionary Socialist Party - spade and stoker