From balloon to kite, comb to brush and cake to ice cream, the Election Commission has everything to offer as symbols to candidates contesting the forthcoming Lok Sabha polls.
In its list of free symbols to be allocated to the independent candidates, who are not affiliated to any political party, the Commission has offered 59 items that include animals, eatables, fruits, among others. "The main purpose to allot symbols to candidates contesting the elections is to make their identity simple so that even an illiterate voter can easily recognise them and vote accordingly," an Election Commission official said. "The pictorial memory of a person is very strong so he/she can easily distinguish
between the candidates," he said.
Some symbols represent eatables like banana, cake, carrot, coconut, ice cream, bread, maize, whereas some items are of daily domestic use like basket, brush, fan, comb, frying pan, cylinder, pressure cooker and gas stove.
The registered national and state political parties have symbols reserved for them like the lotus for the Bharatiya Janata Party and the palm for the Congress.
Items like balloon and doll used by children are also in the list. In addition, almirah, black board, batsman, briefcase, camera, candles, diesel pump, electric pole, frock, jug purse, railway engine, rad roller, shuttle, spoon, walking stick and whistle have been included in the list.