NCP in Symbol Controversy Ahead of Maharashtra Assembly Elections

The Sharad Pawar-led NCP has asked the Election Commission of India to exclude symbols that are 'deceptively similar' to its official 'man playing turha' symbol. The party claims that similar symbols used by Independent candidates during elections have confused voters, putting it at a disadvantage and affecting its performance.

As the Maharashtra assembly elections approach, the Sharad Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) has petitioned the Election Commission of India (ECI) to withdraw or exclude certain symbols it deems 'deceptively similar' to its official 'man playing turha' symbol. The NCP argues that such phonetically similar symbols, like 'Trumpet/Tutari,' given to Independent candidates, have confused voters and undermined the party's electoral performance.

In its appeal, the NCP highlighted instances from the recently-held Lok Sabha polls, demonstrating how similar symbols had led to voter confusion, impacting the party's chances in key constituencies. The ECI had allocated the 'man playing turha' symbol to the NCP following an internal split within the party.

The NCP urged the ECI to remove these symbols from the list of free symbols for the upcoming Assembly elections, stressing the need to maintain the integrity and fairness of the electoral process to ensure free and fair elections. The party cited data from nine Lok Sabha constituencies in Maharashtra, showing how similar symbols had benefited relatively unknown candidates.

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