The Election Commission (EC) has added the “Shapla Koli” (water lily bud) to the list of electoral symbols, as per the Commission’s decision, and it is not subject to individual preferences, said EC Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed on Thursday.
Following a meeting with various ministries, departments, and authorities in the capital’s Agargaon area, Ahmed emphasised that the inclusion of “Shapla Koli” was a decision made solely by the Election Commission.
“It is not about whether anyone accepts or rejects it,” he pointed out, clarifying that the addition was made based on the commission’s judgment.
He explained that the election rules were amended, and the list of symbols had been revised. “Out of the previous 115 symbols, 16 were removed, and the list now includes 119 symbols,” Ahmed added.
Regarding the “Shapla Koli” symbol, he stated that it was added because the Election Commission believed it could be a suitable symbol, not because of any specific request or demand. “NCP requested the Shapla symbol, but there is a difference between Shapla Koli and the Shapla symbol,” he explained.
Ahmed further asserted that the commission was performing its ethical duty and would continue to make adjustments to the list if necessary in the coming days.
“We are not concerned with who agrees or disagrees with our decisions,” he stated, emphasising the EC’s independence in making such changes.
The commission also clarified that the data regarding political party registration was under review, with a final decision expected within a week.
The decision to include the “Shapla Koli” symbol has sparked frustration within the National Citizen Party (NCP), which had specifically requested the “Shapla” symbol.
NCP leaders expressed dissatisfaction, accusing the commission of “defrauding” the party with the “Shapla Koli” symbol.
