Congress complains to EC over wrong BJP symbol in Bengal

The Congress on Saturday complained to the Election Commission that during commissioning of EVMs at West Bengal's Barrackpore parliamentary constituency on Friday, the Bharatiya Janata Party's symbol was different from the one notified with the poll panel.

"It was found that the initials 'BJP' were written under the symbol of the Bhartiya Janta Party, i.e. lotus. The same is highly objectionable and in blatant violation of the Election Conduct Rules, 1961 and Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968," said the its memorandum.

The Congress also said the ballot papers issued for other constituencies in West Bengal including Raiganj do not contain the initials of the BJP. It is clear that the symbol approved for the BJP is "Lotus" and does not contain its name in any iteration, it said.

Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi said the handbook for Returning Officers mandates that the impressions of symbols in the ballot paper should exactly confirm to as approved by the EC.