Hyderabad: The Bharat Rashtra Samithi has recently approached the Election Commission of India (ECI) with a representation to eliminate car-matching symbols from the list of election symbols released prior to the assembly elections. Despite the assurance given by the Election Commission that the car-matching symbols would be removed, the list released on May 15 has caused confusion among BRS leaders.
The Election Commission recently unveiled a list of 193 election symbols allocated to independent candidates and unrecognised parties. To the disappointment of the BRS, car-matching symbols were included in the list. In previous assembly elections and bypolls, the BRS experienced electoral setbacks due to the similarity between car symbols.
BRS leaders express concern that the presence of car-matching symbols in the election symbols list could lead to confusion among voters, particularly in rural areas, and result in the loss of votes for the party. In response, the BRS intends to submit details of the losses incurred in the past due to the car-matching symbols and demand their withdrawal from the Election Commission.
Senior BRS leader Bharat Kumar Suma recently made a representation to the Election Commission highlighting the issue. Meanwhile, Vinod Kumar, senior BRS leader and deputy chairman of the Planning Board, revealed that the road roller symbol had been removed from the list in November 2011 but was re-introduced despite objections from the party. Similarly, symbols like autorickshaws, hat, and iron boxes were eliminated from the list during the 2018 assembly elections following a representation by the then TRS party.
BRS leaders also note that the election symbol displayed on the electronic voting machine is relatively small, which may make it difficult for the public to identify the car symbol accurately, especially in low-light conditions. They assert that the removal of car-matching symbols would ensure clarity and avoid any confusion during the voting process.
The BRS plans to persist in its representation to the Election Commission, emphasizing the need for immediate action in removing the car-matching symbols to uphold the integrity of the electoral process.
