Gas Cylinder Symbol Sparks Political Controversy in Maharashtra
The Maharashtra State Election Commission has ignited a political firestorm by including the 'Gas Cylinder' symbol in its list of free symbols for upcoming local body elections, drawing strong objections from Prakash Ambedkar-led Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA).
In a letter addressed to the State Election Commission, VBA general secretary Priyadarshi Telang argued that the party has consistently used the Gas Cylinder symbol in both the 2019 and 2024 Lok Sabha and assembly elections. The party maintains that the symbol should be reserved exclusively for its candidates in the forthcoming local body polls.
VBA's Strong Protest and Legal Position
Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi is a registered political party that has established its identity with the Gas Cylinder symbol across multiple national and state elections. The party's contention stems from the fact that local body elections haven't been conducted in Maharashtra for several years, leaving VBA without an opportunity to contest these polls previously.
"How are we supposed to contest local body polls when we were not formed then? But we did contest LS and Assembly polls and ECI has given us the symbol. The central provision should overrule the state provisions," Telang asserted in his communication with the election authorities.
The party leadership, including Prakash Ambedkar, has already held meetings with the State Election Commission to resolve the symbol dispute, emphasizing their registered party status and historical claim to the Gas Cylinder symbol.
SEC's Rule-Based Stand
The State Election Commission released its symbol list on November 8, featuring party symbols alongside 194 free symbols available for independent candidates. The Gas Cylinder appeared among the free symbols, triggering the current controversy.
An SEC official clarified that symbol allocation follows rules established in an order dated May 5, 2025. According to these regulations, only registered parties that secured at least 5% of total seats contested in previous local body elections qualify for symbol reservation.
The official explained: "As per the rules, in case of only registered party which have won 5 per cent of total seats contested in previous local body elections, will get the symbol used previously. Also, if the party is registered and not recognised, but has contested assembly and Lok Sabha polls, then the said party will be given a symbol of their preference."
Legal Framework and Future Implications
The existing rules provide specific conditions for symbol reservation: If a registered unrecognized political party has won at least five per cent of the total seats in the preceding general election of a Local Self-Government body, or if five per cent of the total seats comes to less than one seat and the party has won at least one seat, then a free symbol can be temporarily reserved for that party.
This legal framework creates a catch-22 situation for VBA, as the party couldn't participate in local body elections that haven't occurred in recent years. The party argues that their recognition by the Election Commission of India at the national level should supersede state-level provisions.
The State Election Commission has maintained its position that it will follow existing rules without exception. This standoff highlights the complex interplay between state and central election regulations and could set a precedent for how newly formed political parties navigate symbol allocation in multi-tier electoral systems.
