ECI Allots Election Symbols for Jubilee Hills By-Election; BRS Raises Objection Over Similar Icons

Hyderabad: The Election Commission of India (ECI) has allotted symbols to registered parties and independent candidates contesting in the Jubilee Hills assembly constituency by-election.

The registered party candidates have been allotted Chapati Roller and Road Roller symbols. Ambedkar National Party candidate Cheppuri Raju has been allotted a Road Roller, while Amboju Budhaiah of the Alliance of Democratic Reforms Party has been allotted a Chapati Roller symbol.

The opposition BRS party had earlier appealed to the Election Commission to remove these symbols. It expressed concern that voters were getting confused in identifying the symbols due to the symbols being close to the car symbol.

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The EC will print color photos of the candidates in the ballot unit in this by-election. This is expected to be a big blow to the BRS party.

In the ballot paper allotted by the EC for the Jubilee Hills by-election, the symbols allocated to the national party BJP candidate Lankala Deepak Reddy (Lotus) are in the first place, another national party Congress candidate Naveen Yadav (Hand) is in the second place, and the BRS party candidate Maganti Sunitha Gopinath (Car) is in the third place. In the 5th number, the Telugu Rajadhikara Samiti Party candidate has been allotted a soap dish symbol, and in the 9th number, the Alliance of Democratic Reforms Party candidate has been allotted a chapati roller symbol, while in the 13th number,  the Ambedkar National Congress candidate has been allotted a road roller symbol.

In the 21st number,  the Praja Velugu Party candidate has been allotted a camera symbol, and in the 28th number, the All India Majjit-e-In Quilab-e-Milat candidate has been allotted a Ship symbol, while in the 54th number, the Independent candidate has been allotted a TV symbol.

However, usually, there are 16 names, symbols, and photos, including NOTA, on a ballot unit at a polling station. This means that in the first EVM, along with the BRS party, there will be a soap dish at number 5, a chapati roller at number 9, and a road roller at number 13, along with a car. It remains to be seen how the BRS  party will overcome these obstacles in the Jubilee Hills by-election, which it is sure to win. Meanwhile, the final list of candidates for the Jubilee Hills Assembly by-election has been finalized.

Returning Officer Sai Ram announced that 58 candidates were contesting in the by-election to be held on November 11. A total of 211 candidates filed nominations, of which 81 candidates qualified. Out of them, a total of 23 candidates from various parties and several independents withdrew their nominations.

This is the first time in the history of the Jubilee Hills Assembly constituency that so many people are contesting. While 13 party candidates contested in the 2009 elections, 21 in the 2014 elections,  18 in the 2018 elections, and 19 candidates contested in the 2023 elections. Among them, Bharat Rashtra Samithi candidate Maganti Gopinath won.