Kicking off preparations for the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections, the Election Commission (EC) Friday decided to accept applications from political parties for the use of common symbols for their candidates.
“The Commission has decided to accept applications seeking allotment of Common Symbol under Para 10B of the Election Symbols (Reservation & Allotment) Order, 1968 for the General Election to the Legislative Assembly of Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir with immediate effect,” an EC statement said.
Under Para 10B, the candidates of registered, unrecognised parties can be allotted a common symbol. For recognised national and state parties, the common symbols are already reserved and no other party can apply for use of the same.
Usually the process of applications for common symbols starts six months before the term of an Assembly is to end.
But since J&K has not had an Assembly since it was dissolved in 2018, the EC decided to start the process now, a source said.
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