EC adds 'waterlily bud' to list of election symbols

The Election Commission (EC) has added "shapla koli" (waterlily bud) to its list of electoral symbols.

The commission issued a gazette notification today.

The notification, which includes a list of 119 electoral symbols, says that any contesting candidate may be allocated any of the symbols except the suspended ones.

The symbol 'boat' has been mentioned as suspended in the list.

On June 22, the National Citizen Party (NCP) submitted its application for registration and proposed three symbols: "shapla" (waterlily), "kalam" (pen), and mobile phone.

Later, in letters sent on August 3 and September 24, the party revised its preferences, stating that it wanted a white or red "shapla".

On September 24, EC issued a gazette listing 115 electoral symbols.

On September 30, EC sent a letter to NCP asking it to choose one symbol from the approved list and submit its choice by October 7.

Another letter later extended the deadline to October 19. On that day, NCP wrote to the EC seeking clarification on the criteria used to include or exclude symbols from the list.