NCP bent on getting shapla, EC won’t budge

National Citizen Party once again reiterated its demand for shapla (water lily) as its electoral symbol yesterday and sought a written explanation from the Election Commission regarding the policies or criteria for inclusion or exclusion of symbols.

The party also questioned the basis on which certain symbols are approved or rejected and urged the commission to clarify its position on the matter.

Meanwhile, Election Commissioner Anwarul Islam Sarkar said that according to the constitution and electoral laws, the shapla symbol does not exist in the commission's approved list. Therefore, it cannot be allocated to any party.

He was speaking to reporters after attending a training session at Sylhet Police Lines yesterday.

The EC earlier said the NCP must choose a symbol from its reserved list.

Regarding the shapla symbol, Hasnat Abdullah, chief organiser of the NCP for the southern region, yesterday criticised the EC, saying that its behaviour mirrors that of "kings and monarchs from the medieval era".

"From the Election Commission's attitude, it seems that an institutional autocracy has been established," he said after a meeting with EC's Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed at its headquarters in Agargaon.

Hasnat said no clear guidelines were mentioned in allocating symbols to existing parties. "The commission must act according to principles, not personal desires.

"We remain firm in our demand for shapla. We will achieve it through our political activities," he added.

He also doubted the EC's ability to conduct a free and fair election. "This Election Commission lacks the capacity to hold a transparent and neutral election. It is a 'spineless commission', influenced by various quarters. Those who appointed them are using the Election Commission to serve their own purposes," he alleged.

A four-member NCP delegation met with the secretary around 11:00am.

Along with Hasnat, the delegation included the party's Chief Coordinator Nasiruddin Patwary, Joint Convener Khaled Saifullah, and Joint Member Secretary Zahirul Islam Musa.

In another development, a letter was yesterday submitted to the EC senior secretary, signed by NCP Convener Nahid Islam, seeking a written explanation regarding the criteria for approving or excluding election symbols.

Party's other demands include the EC must immediately formulate and publish the policies of allocating electoral symbol anda circular regarding NCP's registration must be issued with the shapla symbol.