Desk Report:
Not just plates, NCP has 50 symbols including gourd, brinjal, and banana
The National Citizens Party (NCP) has been considered for registration as a new party by the Election Commission (EC) in the initial review. However, the commission is unable to issue a notification as the party’s desired symbol, the flower, is not in the EC’s list. It is worth noting that there are 115 symbols in the EC’s schedule of the National Assembly Election Rules. The constitutional body has sent a list of 50 symbols including gourd, brinjal, banana, thala, and khat to the NCP to select from there.
EC’s Election Support Branch Deputy Secretary Md. Rafiqul Islam has already sent a letter to the party’s convener Nahid Islam in this regard.
The letter mentions that the party named ‘National Citizens Party-NCP’ has applied for registration, which has been considered in the initial review. The application form mentions the flower, pen, and mobile in the order of preference as the symbol. Which was later changed (flower, red flower or white flower). It is to be noted that the symbol ‘Shapla’ is not included in the proposed symbol as per Rule 9(1) of the Election Rules, 2008.
Citing the provisions of the Representation of the People Order (RPO) and the Election Rules, the letter states that in any election held under this Order or the Rules, any one symbol chosen from the prescribed symbols shall be allotted to all candidates nominated by a party and the symbol so allotted shall remain reserved for the party, unless it subsequently expresses its desire to get any other symbol from among the prescribed symbols.
In this situation, the letter requests the party to choose a symbol not allotted from the list of symbols mentioned in Rule 9(1) of the Election Rules, 2008 and inform the Election Commission in writing by October 7 for taking further steps regarding the registration of the party.
The 50 symbols from which the NCP has been asked to choose are—
Almirah, ostrich, pen, pitcher, cup and saucer, computer, banana, cot, kite, charger light, shrimp, glasses, jug, ship, tubewell, tiffin carrier, table, table clock, telephone, tabla, watermelon, plate, building, swing, butterfly, football, flower tub, fridge, buck, flute, bench, brinjal, bucket, balloon, electric fan, mug, microphone, peacock, mobile phone, wrap, rooster, gourd, litchi, conch, sewing machine, sofa, suitcase, deer, duck and helicopter.
Earlier, NCP Chief Coordinator Nasiruddin Patwari expressed his anger over the symbol allotted to the party by the EC, saying, “We have received a letter from the EC regarding registration. There, we have been allotted symbols of cupboard, ostrich, cup, plate, and plate. These are very ridiculous. The EC is behaving arbitrarily and discriminatoryly with us.” He said this at a press conference held at the temporary central office in Bangla Motor in the capital on Tuesday (September 30) night.
