From Nomination to Symbol

Allotment
Nomination of candidates

By - K.F. Wilfred, Pr. Secy.

 Nomination
• Filing of nomination starts on the date of
notification by the President/Governor under
Section 14/15 of the R.P. Act, 51.
• RO to issue public notice of election (under S.
31) in Form -1 (appended to CE Rules, 61)
• Public notice has to be under the signature of
the RO only. No other authority can issue this
public notice.
• Case where the election notification was
rescinded on account of improper public
Notice.
• In a bye-election to the Lok Sabha in Uttar
Pradesh, the Public Notice was issued by the
DM whereas the ADM was the RO. When this
error was noticed, the ECI cancelled the
election notification and issued a fresh
notification subsequently.
 Public Notice- Particulars to be
specified [in Form 1]
• Specify the election.
• Mention the place at which nominations are to
be filed (normally at the headquarters of RO) .
• Specify the ARO who will receive nomination
paper in addition to RO. In normal
circumstances, only one ARO should be so
specified.
• Mention the last date of filing nomination, date,
time and place of scrutiny, withdrawal and date
& hours of poll.
 Public Notice-Publishing
• Public notice to be published in the morning
of the date of notification well before 11 AM
(time for commencement of nomination filing)
• Notice shall be in English and the official
language of the State.
• To be displayed on the notice board of RO,
AROs and in other prominent public offices
( O/o Panchayat Samiti, Gram Panchayat, etc.)
 Requirements for valid nomination
[Sec. 33(1)]
• Form of nomination paper – Form 2A for Lok
Sabha and Form 2B for Leg. Assembly.
• To be presented before RO/ specified ARO
only.
• Can only be filed at the place mentioned in
the public notice.
• Can be filed only between 11 AM and 3 PM
during the period for filing as per schedule
notified by ECI u/s 30 of RP Act, 51.
Requirements for valid nomination
• Nomination can be filed only by candidate or
any of the proposers.
• Cannot be sent by post or filed through any
other person.
• To be filed only at the prescribed place(s).
• Nomination to be signed by the candidate and
the prescribed number of proposers.
• Can not be filed on a public holiday.
 Proposers
• One proposer enough for candidates of a
recognized National or State Party.
• Recognized Party means one of the National
Parties or one of the recognized State Parties
of the State concerned.
• 10 proposers required for all other
candidates- even for recognized State Parties
of other States.
• Proposers should be electors of the
constituency concerned.
 Proposers (contd..)
• Under rule 2 (2) of C.E. Rules, 1961, in case of
proposers who are illiterate persons, their
thumb Impression has to be attested by the
RO or an officer authorized by ECI.
• Therefore Thumb Impression has to be affixed
in the presence of the RO or the authorized
officer (an Administrative Officer not below
the rank of SDO has been authorized for the
purpose by ECI) .
 Nomination…… contd.
• For reserved constituencies, candidates have to
give a declaration specifying the caste/tribe to
which he/she belongs. Such caste/tribe should
be included in the list of SC/ST in that State
[Sec.33 (2)] .
• It is desirable to obtain certificate to prove SC/ST
status.
• Certificate should be of a reasonably recent date.
 Nomination…… contd.
• For a person dismissed from an office under
govt. of India/any State Govt., to contest
election within 5 years of dismissal, has to
submit along with nomination paper, a
certificate from ECI stating that the dismissal
was not on account of corruption or disloyalty
to State.
[S. 33(3)]
 Certified copy of electoral roll
• The candidate may be elector of a different
constituency.
• In that case, certified extract of entries in the
relevant roll to be submitted –[S.33(5)]
• If not filed with nomination, this can be filed
by the time of scrutiny
• In that case, RO to give a notice - in the check-
list in the format given in Handbook.
 Affidavits by candidate
• Candidate is required to file affidavit in Form-26
(as revised w.e.f. 01-08-2012).
• Affidavit to be sworn before notary public/oath
commissioner/magistrate of the first class.
• Affidavit to be typed or written legibly and no
columns to be left blank.
• If not filed with nomination, affidavit can be filed
till 3 PM on last date of filing nomination.
• In that case notice to be given (as per check list).
 Check List
Check List of documents in connection with filing of nomination

Name of constituency : ….………………………………………..

Name of the candidate : …………………………………………
Date and time of filing nomination paper: ………………
Sl.No. of nomination paper : …………………………………
Sl. Documents Check List Contd.. Whether filed
No (write Yes/No)
[if there is any
defect/shortcomings in
the documents, the
same should be
specified]

1. Affidavit in Form 26:-

a)Whether all columns are filled up
b)If not, which are blank
columns(Please specify)
c)Whether the affidavit is sworn
before the oath commissioner/first
class magistrate/ Notary Public
 Check List Contd..

Sl. Documents Whether filed

No (write Yes/No)
[if there is any
defect/shortcomings
in the documents, the
same should be
specified]

2. Certified extract of electoral roll

(when candidate is an elector of a
different constituency)
3. Form A and B (applicable in the case
of candidates set up by political
parties)
 Check List Contd..

Sl. Documents Whether filed

No (write Yes/No)
4. Copy of caste certificate from
competent authority, if the candidate
claims to belong to SC/ST)

5. Security deposit (whether made)

6. Oath/affirmation (whether taken)

 Check List Contd..

• The following documents which have not been filed should be filed as indicated
below:
(a) ……………should be filed latest by……………….
(b) Above mentioned columns in the Affidavit in Form 26 have been left blank.
You must submit a fresh Affidavit with all columns dully filled up before the
commencement of scrutiny of nominations, failing which the nomination paper
will be liable to be rejected
………… should be filed latest by
(c)…………..

Received:
…………………………. ……………………………
(Signature of candidate) Signature of RO/ARO

Date & Time :

Place:
 Check List Contd..

N.B.:

1. The Affidavit and Forms A&B have to be filed latest by 3.00 P.M. on
the last date of filing nominations.
2. The nomination paper will be rejected if a candidate fails to fill the
blanks in Form 26 even after reminder by RO by the hour fixed for
scrutiny of nomination paper
3. Oath has to be taken after filing nomination paper and before the
date fixed for scrutiny.
4. Certified extract of electoral roll can be filed upto the time of scrutiny.
5. Security deposit should be made either before filing of nomination
paper or at the time of filing of nomination paper. Therefore, there is no
question of issuing notice for making the security deposit.
 Photographs of Candidates
• Photographs of candidates is to be printed on
ballot paper

• Candidates required to submit stamp size

photograph (2.5cm x 2cm)

• For those who do not submit photographs with

the nomination paper, a notice in the prescribed
format is required to be given asking candidates
to submit photograph by the date of scrutiny
 Action on affidavits
• Copy to be displayed on notice board of RO and
also notice board of ARO if his office is in a
different place.
• If office of both RO and AROs are outside the
boundary of constituency, one set of copies of
affidavits to be displayed in a prominent public
place within constituency limits.
• Copies to be supplied free of cost to whoever
requests for it.
• Copy to be uploaded on website of CEO within 24
hours of filing.
 Action on Affidavit…..
• If anyone files affidavit pointing out false
statements in any affidavit, that also to be
displayed on notice board.
• RO is not required to conduct enquiry into
correctness of statements in the affidavits.
 Govt. Dues
• In the affidavit, in item (8)(ii), candidates are required
to mention govt. dues (dues to various deptts.).
• As per an order of Delhi High Court, details of dues to
deptts. for govt. accommodation, water supply,
electricity, telephones and transport, mentioned by
candidates have to be published in two newspapers.
• ECI has directed that this should be published in the
format prescribed by it in two newspapers having local
circulation, one of which should be in vernacular
newspaper. This should be done within two days of
finalization of list of contesting candidates.
 Security Deposit
• Rs.25,000 for Lok Sabha election.
• Rs. 10,000 for Assembly election.
• Half the amount for SC/ST candidates (even in
general constituencies).
• To be made either in cash before the RO/ARO or
in RBI/ Treasury-no deposit acceptable by
cheque or Bank draft.
• Deposit to be made when filing the first set of
nomination or prior to it.
 No. of nomination papers for one
candidate
• A maximum of four sets of nomination papers
for a candidate.
• Only one deposit is required.
• Similarly all other accompanying documents-
only one original needed.
• If more than 4 nominations are filed, the fifth
set onwards will be ignored. But, make sure
this does not happen.
 Preliminary Examination
• Preliminary examination from technical
standpoint at the time of receiving
nomination paper. [ S. 33(4)]
• Entries relating to electoral roll details to be
compared.
• Clerical errors in names, Sl. No. etc. can be
allowed to be corrected or even ignored.
• Defects, if any, to be pointed out to candidate.
 Forms “A” and “B” by Pol. Parties
• Paragraph 13 of Symbols Order provide
requirements for treating a candidate as a
candidate set up by political party.
• Forms A and B to be filed latest by 3 PM on
the last day of filing nomination.
• Both Forms A and B to be submitted to RO.
• Forms A & B to be signed in ink in original.
Photocopy not acceptable. Form received
through Fax / e-mail also not acceptable.
 Forms ‘A’ & ‘B’…..
• There is provision in Form B to cancel the notice given in
favour of a candidate by submitting a fresh Form B (by 3
PM on last date of filing nomination) mentioning the name
of the new candidate, and specifically rescinding the notice
given earlier in favour of the first candidate.
• If you receive Form B from the same party in favour of
more than one candidate, duly signed by the authorized
office-bearer, and there is no cancellation/rescinding of
Form B for any candidate, then among such candidates, the
one who filed nomination paper first shall be treated as
the candidate sponsored by that Party (para 13A of
Symbols Order).
Action by RO on receipt of nomination
• Enter date and time of filing nomination and put
initials thereon.
• Give running serial number to nomination
papers. If more than one set of nomination is
filed by one candidate, give serial number in the
order in which they are presented.
• Fill up Part-VI of nomination form and handover
to candidate/proposer as acknowledgement.
• Also give a notice of time, date and venue of
allotment of symbol.
 Action by RO…..
• Fill up check list and handover copy to
candidate/proposer filing nomination.
• For documents not filed and/or found defective
in any manner, specific mention should be made
in the second part of checklist as notice to
candidate for filing the same within prescribed
time limit.
• Obtain specimen signature of candidate. Also ask
the candidate to write down his name in the
language in which ballot paper is to be printed.
 Other documents to be handed over
to candidates
• Handover the Register prescribed for
maintaining day-to-day account of election
expenses, alongwith all other connected
documents.
• Obtain an acknowledgment from the
candidate/proposer filing the nomination.
• Handover an extract of Section 127A
(printing/ publishing of pamphlets, posters
etc.)
 Oath/Affirmation
• Candidate required to make oath or affirmation in the prescribed
format in person.
• RO/ARO authorised authorities before whom oath can be made.
• Oath can also be taken before certain other authorities prescribed
by ECI- Jail Supdt. for candidate in jail , Commandant of detention
camp for candidate under preventive detention, Medical Supdt of
Hospital for those confined to bed in hospital, Diplomatic or
consular representative of India or any person authorized by them
for candidate outside India.
• Oath to be made only after filing nomination and before the day of
scrutiny.
• Certificate of oath to be given to the candidate without his
applying for it.
• Onus is on candidate to produce Certificate of Oath before the RO
(wherever taken before a different authority)
 Videography
• Process of filing nomination to be
videographed.
• Continuous/unedited videography in the last
hour of filing nomination (2 PM onwards on
the last day )
• Keep all papers securely. Avoid misplacing.
• RO/Specified ARO to be available at the place
of filing throughout the nomination filing
period.
 Acknowledgment/Notice
• Apart from acknowledgement in Part-VI of
nomination form, checklist duly filled is a
further acknowledgement.

• All notices for filing various documents shall

be given in checklist itself.
 Notice of nomination
• RO to publish on Notice Board a notice in
FORM-3A regarding nominations received
upto 3 PM of each day during the nomination
filing period.
• Where the Specified ARO receives nomination
in a different place such ARO should also
publish such notice in FORM-3A and keep the
RO informed on a daily basis.
 List of nominated candidates
• After 3 PM on last day of filing, list of nominated
candidates to be prepared.
• Format given by ECI – Handbook.
• Candidates to be classified in 3 categories- (i)
Recognised parties, (ii) Registered unrecognised
parties and (iii) independents.
• Within each category, names of candidates shall
be arranged alphabetically.
• Recognized parties of other States will be
included in the 2nd category (registered
unrecognized party).
Qualifications and
disqualifications

38
• Any person aspiring to be Member of Lok
Sabha/ Legislative Assembly, whether by
election or by nomination, must be qualified
and must not be disqualified under the
Constitution or under any law for such
membership.
• Crucial date for determining whether a
candidate is qualified or disqualified is not the
date of filing nomination paper but the date
fixed for the scrutiny of nominations.
39
 Constitutional Qualifications
(Articles 84 and 173 of the Constitution)
• Citizenship of India.

• Oath or affirmation to bear true faith and

allegiance to the Constitution.

• Minimum qualifying age.

• Any other qualification prescribed by

Parliament.

40
Oath or Affirmation under the Constitution
of India
[Articles 84 (a) and 173 (a)]
• Every candidate has to make and subscribe
either an oath in the name of God or a solemn
affirmation in the form prescribed for the
purpose in the Third Schedule to the
Constitution.
• The real purpose of this oath or affirmation is
that the person undertakes to bear true faith
and allegiance to the Constitution and uphold
the sovereignty and integrity of India.

41
• Persons before whom oath or affirmation to be made :
 Returning Officer or any of the Assistant Returning
Officers of the constituency.
 All stipendiary Magistrates of the first class, District
Judges and persons belonging to judicial service of the
State.
 Superintendent of the prison if the candidate is
confined in a prison.
 Commandant of the detention camp if under preventive
detention.
 Medical Superintendent/Medical Practitioner in case
candidate is confined to bed.
 Diplomatic or Consular Representative of India in the
country, if the candidate is out of India.
 Any other person nominated by the Election
Commission, on application made to it.

42
• Oath or Affirmation – when to be made :

Oath or affirmation must be made after the

nomination paper has been submitted to RO.

It must be made before the commencement of

the date of scrutiny of nominations, i.e., latest by
mid-night of the date preceding the date of
scrutiny.

43
• Oath or affirmation by a candidate contesting
election from more than one constituency :
Making and subscribing of requisite oath or
affirmation in one constituency is sufficient;

Separate Oath or affirmation required if

contesting elections both to the House of the
People and to a State Legislative Assembly at a
simultaneous election.

44
 Age qualification
[Articles 84(3) and 173(b)]

• A person shall not be qualified to be chosen to fill a seat in

the Lok Sabha/State Legislative Assembly, unless he is of 25
years of age.
• Age qualification should be fulfilled by the candidate on the
date fixed for the scrutiny of nominations [section 36 (2) (a) of
1951-Act].

45
 Statutory qualifications
[Articles 84(c) and 173(c)]

• Qualifications for election to a State Legislative

Assembly (section- 5) :
 In the case of the constituencies reserved for SCs or
STs, the candidate should be a member of any of
those castes or tribes, and an elector for any
Assembly Constituency in the State;

 In the case of any other constituency in any State

should be an elector for any Assembly Constituency
in that State.

46
 Constitutional Disqualifications
[Articles 102 (1) and 191(1)]
• Office of profit under the Government.
• Unsoundness of mind.
• Un-discharged insolvent.
• Non-citizenship of India or acknowledgement of
allegiance or adherence to a foreign State.
• Any other disqualification prescribed by
Parliament.

47
• Office of profit under the Government
[Articles 102 (1a) and 191(1)(a)]:
All questions whether a particular person is
holding an office of profit under the government
or not have to be decided by applying the
following tests to the facts and circumstances of
each case in the light of Supreme Court decision in
Shivamurthy Swami Inamdar Vs. Agadi Sanganna
Andanappa [(1971) 3 SCC 870] :-
Whether the government makes the appointment;
Whether the government has the right to remove
or dismiss the holder;

48
 contd….
Whether any remuneration is paid;

Does the government exercise any control over the

performance of those functions.

However, Parliament and all State Legislatures have

passed Acts removing disqualification in respect of
certain offices mentioned therein.
Please refer to Central/State Act on Removal of
Disqualification.

49
• Unsoundness of mind [Articles 102 (1)
(b) 191 (1) (b)]:

A person is disqualified if he is of unsound

mind and stands so declared by a
competent court.

Mere allegation not sufficient – such

person should be so declared by a
competent court under the Indian
Lunacy Act, 1912.

50
• Un-discharged insolvent [Articles 102 (1)(c)
and 191 (1) (c)]:
A person adjudged insolvent by a competent
insolvency court under the Provincial Insolvency Act,
1920 and has not been discharged from insolvency
under the provision of that Act, is disqualified for
contesting an election to Parliament/State Legislature.

Mere commission of acts of insolvency not a ground

for disqualification.

Disqualification on this account ceases to be

operative, if the insolvent is discharged from
insolvency by the competent court.

51
• Non-citizenship of India or
acknowledgement of allegiance or
adherence to a foreign State [Articles
102(1) (d) and 191 (1) (d)]:
Citizenship of India a fundamental and
essential qualification – additionally a person
shall be disqualified for being chosen as, and
also for being a Member of Parliament/State
Legislature if he is not a citizen of India, or has
voluntarily acquired the citizenship of a
foreign State or is under any
acknowledgement of allegiance or adherence
to a foreign State.

52
 Statutory disqualifications
[Articles 102(1)(e) and 191 (1) (e)]
• Parliament empowered to make statutory laws
prescribing disqualifications for membership for
both Parliament and State Legislatures :
– Disqualifications so prescribed by Parliament
under Representation of the People Act, 1951
are :
• Disqualification on conviction for certain offences
(Section 8).
• Disqualification on ground of commission of corrupt
practices (Section 8A).

53
• Disqualification for dismissal from govt. service for
corruption or disloyalty (Section 9).

• Disqualification for contract with “appropriate

government” (Section 9A).

• Disqualification for holding office under

government company (Section 10).

• Disqualification for failure to lodge account of

election expenses (Section 10A).

54
 Disqualification on conviction for
certain offences (s 8)
• Offences inviting disqualification on conviction specified
in three categories mentioned in sub-sections (1) to (3).
• Conviction by Trial Court attracts disqualification;
• Release on bail does not remove disqualification, unless
conviction is also stayed during pendency of appeal;

55
 Disqualification on conviction for
certain offences (s 8A)
• Only those persons are disqualified whose list is
circulated by ECI from time to time.

56
 Disqualification for dismissal from
government service for corruption or
disloyalty (s 9)
• A candidate dismissed from government service
within the last five years must produce a
certificate from ECI that he was not dismissed for
corruption or disloyalty;
• Such certificate must be filed with the
nomination paper, otherwise nomination shall be
rejected [Section 33(3)].

57
 Disqualification for contract with
appropriate government (s 9A)
• Contract should be subsisting on the date of scrutiny of
nominations;
• Contract should be with ‘appropriate government’;
• ‘Appropriate government’ means Central Government in
the case of election to Parliament, and State
Government in the case of election to State Legislature;
• Contract should be either for supply of goods or for
execution of works.

58
 Disqualification for holding office under
government company (s 10)
• Only Secretary, Manager or Managing Agent of
government company is disqualified;
• ‘Government company’ means any company,
corporation, etc., in which appropriate government has
not less than 25% share;
• Government Company does not include cooperative
society;
• ‘Appropriate Government’ has same meaning as
explained above in the case of contract with government.

59
Disqualification for failure to lodge
account of election expenses (s
10A)
• Only those persons are disqualified whose list is
circulated by ECI from time to time.
• Disqualification U/s 10A is for specific period of 3
years. Pl. go through the list of disqualified
persons in respect of your State carefully.

60
 Welcome
By S.K. MENDIRATTA ,
Legal Advisor,
Election Commission of India,
New Delhi.

61
Scrutiny of Nominations

62
 SCRUTINY OF NOMINATIONS
DATE, TIME AND PLACE OF SCRUTINY
• Date of scrutiny specified by the Commission in its
programme notification and the RO has no discretion
to change it;
• However, he has a discretion under the law to fix the
time and place of scrutiny;
• The RO has to give notice both in public notice in
Form-1 and also in the receipt which he has to give
to each candidate in acknowledgement of receipt of
nomination.

63
 PERSONS WHO CAN BE PRESENT AT
SCRUTINY OF NOMINATIONS
• Candidate himself;

• His election agent;

• One of his proposers; and

• One other person authorized by candidate.

• It is not necessary that a candidate or his

representative should be present at the time of
scrutiny of nominations.

64
 Scrutiny proceedings Contd…
• Scrutiny of nominations is a quasi-judicial function of the
RO but that does not give him the status of a Court. The
enquiry into the question of validity or otherwise of a
nomination paper is a summary enquiry;
• RO himself should conduct the scrutiny;
• ARO can be authorized to perform scrutiny only where
RO is unavoidably prevented from performing that
function;
• All present at time of scrutiny should be given
reasonable opportunity of inspecting all nomination
papers and their accompanying documents. They should
not, however, be permitted to handle those papers.

65
 Scrutiny proceedings
Contd…
• All nomination papers should be scrutinized one by one
and decision accepting or rejecting should be recorded
on each nomination paper separately.
• Even if one of the nomination papers of a candidate is
accepted, his remaining nomination papers must also be
scrutinized individually.
• Where any objection is made against any nomination
paper, RO must record his decision giving reasons for
accepting or rejecting the objection.
• RO can raise objection to any nomination suo motu also.

66
 Scrutiny proceedings
Contd…
• If the nomination of a candidate has been objected to, he should
be given reasonable opportunity of rebutting the same and, where
necessary, scrutiny proceedings in relation to his nomination may
be adjourned. Scrutiny proceedings in relation to other
candidates should, however, continue.
• Scrutiny can be adjourned maximum upto the 3rd day which is
normally the last date of withdrawal for candidatures and not
beyond that date.
• If the nomination of any candidate is rejected, copy of the order
should be furnished to the candidate urgently.

67
 GROUNDS FOR REJECTION OF
NOMINATION PAPER
• Nomination paper of a candidate shall be rejected if :
– he is not qualified or is disqualified on the date fixed for
scrutiny of nominations;
– nomination paper is not signed by candidate or subscribed
by requisite number of proposers;
– requisite security deposit has not been made;
– certified extract of entry in the electoral roll not
submitted, if candidate is contesting election from a
different constituency;
– affidavit in Form 26 has not been submitted;
– Provisions of section 33 not complied;

68
 GROUNDS FOR REJECTION
Contd….
• Nomination paper shall not be rejected on ground of
defect which is not of substantial character, like,
defect in declaration relating to symbols.
• Any wrong information in candidate’s affidavits is not
defect of substantial character. However, failure to
furnish affidavit is defect of substantial character
entailing rejection of nomination.
• If any column is left blank in affidavit even after
notice, nomination shall be rejected.

69
 PREPARATION OF LIST OF VALIDLY
NOMINATED CANDIDATES
• After the completion of scrutiny proceedings, RO
should prepare a list of validly nominated
candidates, i.e., candidates whose nominations have
been found valid on scrutiny;
• Such list should be prepared in Form 4;
• Arrangement of names in Form 4 should be on the
same lines as in the list of nominated candidates.

70
 WITHDRAWAL OF CANDIDATURES
• Validly nominated candidate may withdraw his
candidature by giving a notice in the prescribed Form
(Form-5 appended to 1961-Rules) to that effect upto
3.00 pm on the last date fixed for withdrawal of
candidatures in the programme notification. Notice
in any other form shall not be taken cognizance of.
• Commission has clarified that candidatures may be
withdrawn on any intervening day during normal
working hours of the Office of RO and not necessarily
upto 3.00 pm on those days.

71
 WITHDRAWAL OF CANDIDATURES
Contd…
• No provision for retirement from contest after
last date fixed for withdrawals;
• Notice of withdrawal can be submitted either by
the candidate himself or by his election agent, or
any of his proposers but such proposer or
election agent must additionally be authorized in
writing by the candidate himself to present that
notice on his behalf. Such notice cannot be sent
to the RO in any other manner.

72
 NOTICE OF WITHDRAWAL
• RO should publish the list of candidates who
have withdrawn their candidatures in Form-6.
• Notice of withdrawal once given by a
candidate is irrevocable.

73
 PREPARATION OF LIST OF
CONTESTING CANDIDATES
• Allotment of symbols has to be made before
drawing the list of contesting candidates.
• Such list is prepared in Form 7A
• At an election to House of Parliament, the list
is published in the Gazette of India and is also
re-published in the official gazette of state
concerned.

74
 PREPARATION OF LIST OF
CONTESTING CANDIDATES
• For any election to a state legislature, it is
published in the official Gazette of the State
concerned.
• Copy of the list is to be furnished to each of
the contesting candidates besides displaying it
in the notice board and copies sent to Election
Commission of India and CEO.
• Copy is also required to be displayed outside
Polling Stations on the day of poll.

75
 ARRANGEMENT OF NAMES OF CANDIDATES
IN LIST OF VALIDLY NOMINATED CANDIDATES
AND LIST OF CONTESTING CANDIDATES
• Names of candidates shall be classified into three
categories, namely,
– (a) candidates of recognized National and State
political parties,
– (b) candidates of registered un-recognized
political parties, and
– (c) independent candidates.

• List is to be prepared in the language(s) specified in

the Commission’s direction dated 16-09-2008 for
Assembly Constituencies and direction dated 06-02-
2009 for Parliamentary Elections
76
 ARRANGEMENT OF NAMES OF CANDIDATES
IN LIST OF VALIDLY NOMINATED CANDIDATES
AND LIST OF CONTESTING CANDIDATES
• Such determination shall be made with reference to
the first letter of the name of the candidate as given
by him in his nomination paper irrespective of
whether the name given is the proper name or
surname. Initials prefixed to a name shall be
ignored.

• Arrangement of names in alphabetical order shall be

made in each category separately; but serial
numbers of names shall be run-on.

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 CANDIDATE PERMITTED TO SHOW HIS NAME
BY WHICH POPULARLY KNOWN
• Normally, the name of each candidate in the list of
validly nominated candidates shall be shown as it
appears in his nomination paper (Rule 8(2), 1961-
Rules).

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 CANDIDATE PERMITTED TO SHOW HIS NAME
BY WHICH POPULARLY KNOWN
• However, if a candidate considers that his name is
incorrectly spelt or is otherwise incorrectly shown in
his nomination paper or is different from the name
by which he is popularly known, he may furnish in
writing to the RO, the proper form and spelling of his
name and the RO shall, if satisfied as to the
genuineness of the request, make the necessary
correction or alteration in the name of the candidate
in the list of validly nominated candidates and also
adopt that form and spelling in the list of contesting
candidates

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 CANDIDATE PERMITTED TO SHOW HIS NAME
BY WHICH POPULARLY KNOWN
• But such request for correction or alteration must be
made to the RO before he has prepared the list of
contesting candidates. Any request for the purpose
after the list of contesting candidates has been
prepared cannot be entertained by the RO. Further,
in order to be satisfied about the genuineness of the
request, he can require the candidate to produce
such evidence in support of the request as may be
considered appropriate by him.

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 PREFIXING HONORIFIC TITLES TO NAMES OF
CANDIDTES
• The Election Commission has also permitted
the candidates to prefix any honorific,
academic, hereditary, professional or any
other title, like, Doctor, Professor, Lt General,
to their names. But these prefixes are not
taken into account in the determination of the
alphabetical arrangement of their names.

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 Allotment of Symbols
to Contesting Candidates

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 Allotment of Symbols
• Allotment of symbols to candidates is
governed by the Election Symbols
(Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968;

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 Allotment of Symbols to candidates
of recognized parties
• Candidates set up by recognized national and state
political parties to get only the symbols reserved for
those parties;
• The manner of setting up of candidates by political
parties already explained hereinabove.
• ‘Political party’ means a party registered with ECI under
section 29A of the RP Act, 1951;
• ‘Recognized political party’ means a party recognized as
national or state party by ECI under Symbols Order,
1968.

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 Allotment of Symbols to candidates of
recognized State parties in other States
• A State party recognized in one State is a registered-
unrecognized party in any other State;
• If such party sets up candidates in any other State, such
candidates can get party’s reserved symbol under para 10, if :
– Central Office of party applies to ECI for such concession
within three days from the date of election notification,
giving details of the constituencies concerned; and
– ECI has no objection to the grant of above concession.
• RO shall allot the party’s reserved symbol to the
abovementioned candidate only if he receives the authorization
from ECI, and not otherwise.

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 Allotment of Symbols to candidates of
parties which have lost recognition
• If a party which has lost recognition, within the last six years,
as National / State party and is not recognized anywhere and
is now only a registered-unrecognized party, sets up
candidates in any State, such candidates can get party’s
earlier reserved symbol under para 10A, if :
– Central Office of party applies to ECI for such concession within
three days from the date of election notification, giving details
of the constituencies concerned; and
– ECI has no objection to the grant of above concession.
• RO shall allot the party’s reserved symbol to the
abovementioned candidate only if he receives the
authorization from ECI, and not otherwise.

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 Common symbol for Registered
Un-recognized parties
• Under para -10B of Symbols Order a registered un-
recognized party can apply to ECI for allotment of
common symbol for its candidates from among free
symbols
• Subject to fulfillment of certain conditions, ECI may
allot common symbol to such parties
• If orders are issued by EC for allotting common
symbol to candidates of registered un-recognized
party, RO shall allot common symbol as per orders
of EC
 Allotment of Symbols to candidates of
registered un-recognized parties
• Allotment of symbols to candidates of registered unrecognized
political parties other than those mentioned in para-10B above is
governed by para 12 of Symbols Order;
• No symbol is reserved for any registered-unrecognized political
party;
• These candidates have to choose symbols from list of free
symbols notified by ECI;
• Every such candidate can give three options of free symbols, in
order of preference;
• Such preferences indicated in his first nomination paper are to
be taken into account, even if that nomination paper is rejected;

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 Allotment of Symbols to candidates of
registered un-recognized parties
• If such candidate has given option for a particular
free symbol as his first preference, he shall be
allotted that symbol to the exclusion of all
independent candidates;

• If candidates of more than one un-recognized party

have given their first preference for the same free
symbol, RO shall decide by lot which of those
candidates should be given that free symbol;

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 Allotment of Symbols to candidates of
registered un-recognized parties
• However, if any of those candidates is, or was,
immediately before the election, a sitting MP/MLA,
he shall be allotted that symbol without draw of lots;

• If a candidate does not get his first preference

symbol because of draw of lots, his second
preference for a symbol shall not be treated now as
his first preference, while considering the
preferences of other candidates;

90
 Allotment of Symbols to candidates of
registered un-recognized parties
• If a candidate does not get any of the symbols as per
his preferences, he shall be allotted a symbol at the
end of the allotment process (including the allotment
of symbols to the independent candidates) from out
of the remaining free symbols available for allotment
with the RO.

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 Allotment of Symbols to independent
candidates
• Allotment of symbols to independent candidates is also
governed by para 12 of Symbols Order;
• These candidates have to choose symbols from list of free
symbols notified by ECI;
• Every such candidate can give three options of free
symbols, in order of preference;
• Such preferences indicated in his first nomination paper are
to be taken into account, even if that nomination paper is
rejected;

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 Allotment of Symbols to independent
candidates Contd…
• If such candidate has given option for a particular
free symbol as his first preference and no candidate
of a registered un-recognized party has opted for that
symbol as his first preference, he shall be allotted
that symbol to the exclusion of all other candidates;
• If more than one independent candidates have given
their first preference for the same free symbol, RO
shall decide by lot which of those candidates should
be given that free symbol;

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 Allotment of Symbols to independent
candidates Contd…
• However, if any of those candidates is, or was,
immediately before the election, a sitting MP/MLA, he
shall be allotted that symbol without draw of lots,
provided that he contested the earlier election on that
very symbol;
• If a candidate does not get his first preference symbol
because of draw of lots, his second preference for a
symbol shall not be treated now as his first preference,
while considering the preferences of other candidates;

94
 Allotment of Symbols to independent
candidates Contd…
• If a candidate does not get any of the symbols as per
his preferences, he shall be allotted a symbol at the
end of the allotment process (including the allotment
of symbols to the independent candidates) from out
of the remaining free symbols available for allotment
with the RO.

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Thanks !

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