No scope for NCP to get ‘shapla’ symbol: EC Secretary

Election Commission (EC) Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed has said that the National Citizen Party (NCP) will not be allotted the ‘Shapla’ (water lily) symbol. The party has been asked to select an alternative symbol and inform the commission by October 19.

“If the NCP fails to choose an alternative by then, the Election Commission will assign a symbol on its own,” Akhtar Ahmed told reporters at the EC headquarters on Tuesday (October 14), according to local media reports.

He added that the commission sees no reason to include the ‘Shapla’ symbol in the list. “It’s up to the NCP—if they refuse to register without that symbol, it is their decision,” the EC secretary said.