Panchayat polls: 73 symbols identified for Independent candidates

Bhubaneswar: The State Election Commission (SEC) has identified at least 73 symbols for independent candidates to contest for the ensuing Panchayat polls scheduled to be held in February this year.

Independent candidates contesting Zilla Parishad elections will have to choose from a list of 19 symbols such as cot, boy &girl, bucket, letter box, drum, bead necklace, jug, ring, saw, sewing machine, boat, table lamp, top, violin, gas stove, harmonium, road roller, television and water bottle.

Since elections for ZP members posts will be held on party symbols, the SEC has reserved eight symbols for  seven national parties – BJP, BSP, CPI, CPI(M), INC, NCP, All India Trinamool Congress and one regional party – BJD.

For election to panchayat samiti members 19 symbols – kettle, stool, bus, lock&key, spectacles, hand fan, cup & saucer, earthen pot, pine-apple, bell, baby doll, batsman, glass tumbler, football, coat, maize, kite, aeroplane and flute – have been preserved for candidates to chose from.

Likewise, 26 symbols have been identified for elections to sarpanch posts and nine symbols have been kept for ward member elections at gram panchayat level.

Notably, elections will be held for Zilla Parishads, panchayat samitis and gram panchayats. The elections will be held for 853 ZP member posts, 6802 sarpanches, 6801 panchayat samiti members and 92,052 ward members.