Of mice and men: Election symbols allotted for LG candidates

As many as 40,000 hopefuls file nomination papers.

PESHAWAR: Returning officers (RO) on Tuesday allotted election symbols to candidates in the provincial capital for local government elections.

Around 40,000 candidates have filed their nomination papers to the election commission for a total of 4,244 seats. These will include 2514 general councillors (1,438 village councillors and 1,076 neighbourhood councillors). In addition, there will be 692 women, 346 youths, 346 peasant workers and 346 minority representatives from Peshawar.

Election symbols were displayed on the wall of the DC office. The DC is also the district RO. They were categorised into six groups. Hundreds of candidates and their supporters rushed to the office to get their allotted election symbols.

While talking to The Express Tribune, the election hopefuls said they have refused “distasteful symbols” such as a mouse, harmonium, a nut and tortoise.

The candidates claimed rigging had already started when officials of ROs issued favoured symbols to their “favoured candidates” a day before the specified time.

Nasir Khan, a supporter of a candidate, said they submitted a requisition at the RO’s office and demanded a change on their election symbol. “We need sophisticated and sober symbols to attract voters,” he said. “How can a candidate go into polls with a mouse as a symbol?” said Khan.

“Our opponents are making fun of our candidate for having a harmonium as an election symbol,” said Zar Wali Khan. He added his group supports a religious party and cannot be identified with this symbol.

Another candidate said he submitted an application for a rose as his symbol, but the relevant assistant returning officer gave him a nut instead. He appealed to relevant ROs that appropriate symbols be allotted. However, most candidates who submitted requests said the ROs allotted symbols they wanted.

Meanwhile, a high-level meeting was held at the district returning officer’s office on Tuesday.

The district RO, additional deputy commissioner Usama Ahmad Waraich and a provincial election official were present at the meeting.

DC PRO Feroz Shah said two major issues such as the security assessment for 996 polling stations and the code of conduct for local government elections were discussed at the meeting.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 6^th, 2015.