Archive · 12 Nov 2025
VBA Fumes as 'Gas Cylinder' Symbol Made Available for Local Polls
Imagine there's a special sticker, like a 'Gas Cylinder,' that a political group called VBA has been using for big elections.
Now, there are smaller, local elections happening, and the election officials put the 'Gas Cylinder' sticker on a list of free stickers anyone can use.
The VBA is upset because they wanted that sticker to be saved just for them, as they've used it before in bigger elections.
They say they didn't get a chance to use it in local elections because there weren't any for a long time.
But the election officials say there are special rules for local elections, and you have to have won a certain number of local elections before your sticker is saved for you.
Since the VBA hasn't won those local elections, the officials say they have to follow the rules and let anyone use the sticker.
The VBA thinks the rules for big elections should count more, but the election officials say they must follow the rules for local elections.
The Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) is protesting the Maharashtra State Election Commission's (SEC) decision to include their 'Gas Cylinder' symbol in the list of free symbols for upcoming local body polls.
The VBA has used the 'Gas Cylinder' symbol in previous Lok Sabha and Assembly elections and argues it should be reserved for them.
The SEC maintains that a symbol is reserved for registered, unrecognized parties in local body polls only if they meet specific win criteria in past local elections, which the VBA has not achieved.
The VBA claims that the lack of recent local body polls in Maharashtra prevented them from contesting and having the symbol reserved, and that national election rules should supersede state provisions.
The SEC has stated it will continue to follow existing rules for symbol allotment in the local body elections.
- Who
- Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) and Maharashtra State Election Commission (SEC)
- What
- The VBA is protesting the SEC's decision to list their 'Gas Cylinder' symbol as a free symbol for local body polls, which means it can be used by any candidate. The VBA argues it should be reserved for their party.
- When
- The SEC released the list of free symbols on November 8; the VBA has expressed its grievance recently.
- Where
- Maharashtra
- Why
- The VBA believes the symbol should be reserved for them due to prior use in national elections, while the SEC maintains it must follow state-specific rules for symbol reservation in local body polls, which the VBA does not currently meet based on past performance.
Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA)
Maharashtra State Election Commission (SEC)
Symbol Reservation for Local Body Polls
Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA)
The VBA, a registered party that has contested Lok Sabha and Assembly polls using the 'Gas Cylinder' symbol, argues it should be reserved for them in upcoming local body elections. They contend that the lack of recent local body polls in Maharashtra prevented them from contesting previously and therefore, the symbol should be reserved based on their national election symbol usage.
Maharashtra State Election Commission (SEC)
The SEC is following its existing rules, which state that a symbol is reserved for a registered but unrecognized party in local body elections only if they have won at least 5% of the total seats in the previous local body elections, or if a candidate of that party has won at least one seat. The SEC official noted that the VBA does not meet these criteria based on past local body election performance.
Applicability of Rules
Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA)
The VBA believes that national election rules and the symbol allocation by the Election Commission of India (ECI) for Lok Sabha and Assembly polls should supersede state-level provisions for local body elections.
Maharashtra State Election Commission (SEC)
The SEC is adhering to its own state-specific rules for symbol allotment in local body elections.
- Party Name
- Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA)
- Party Leader
- Prakash Ambedkar
- Contested Poll Symbol
- Gas Cylinder
- Election Type
- Upcoming local body polls in Maharashtra
- Regulatory Body
- Maharashtra State Election Commission (SEC)
- Key Issue
- Symbol allotment for registered, unrecognized parties in local body elections