The rise of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), a youth-led pressure group that emerged following a controversial remark by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, has generated widespread discussion online. Among the questions being asked is whether a cockroach could ever be officially allotted as an election symbol if the group eventually registers as a political party.
Under current Election Commission of India rules, such a possibility appears highly unlikely.
How are election symbols allotted?
According to The Indian Express, election symbols in India are governed by the Election Commission of India under the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968.
Recognised national and state parties receive reserved symbols that remain permanently associated with them. Examples include the lotus used by the Bharatiya Janata Party and the hand symbol of the Indian National Congress.
Candidates belonging to unrecognised political parties, as well as independent candidates, are allotted symbols from a separate list known as “free symbols”. While such candidates can express a preference, the Election Commission is not obligated to grant their chosen symbol.
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What kinds of symbols are available?
According to The Indian Express, the Commission periodically updates its free symbols list. The current catalogue contains a wide range of everyday objects, including household items, tools, fruits, vegetables, sports equipment and electronic appliances.
Among the symbols available are air conditioners, balloons, dustbins, frying pans, jackfruits, grapes, mixers, toothbrushes and television remotes. The aim is to provide easily recognisable symbols that can be understood by voters across different linguistic and literacy backgrounds.
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Why is a cockroach unlikely to be approved?
According to The Indian Express, Election Commission officials have long maintained a cautious approach toward using animals as electoral symbols.
Former Union minister Maneka Gandhi has previously recounted how concerns over animal welfare arose when political parties used animal symbols during election campaigns. According to her account, the use of roosters as a symbol during a Tamil Nadu election campaign in the late 1980s led to widespread mistreatment of birds as campaign props.
Following such concerns, the Election Commission significantly restricted the allotment of animal-based symbols to newly registered parties and candidates.
Today, only a handful of animal symbols remain in use because they were allotted before these restrictions came into effect. The most notable example is the elephant, which continues to be the reserved symbol of the Bahujan Samaj Party.
Given this longstanding policy, a cockroach symbol would almost certainly be rejected if requested by a newly registered political party.
What about the Cockroach Janta Party?
According to The Indian Express, the Cockroach Janta Party is currently not registered as a political party. Its founder, Abhijeet Dipke, has described it as a youth pressure group rather than an electoral organisation.
While the group has gained attention through protests and online campaigns, any future attempt to register as a political party would still require compliance with Election Commission rules governing names, registration procedures and election symbols.
As things stand, if the group ever enters electoral politics, it may have to look beyond the cockroach and choose from the Election Commission’s approved list of free symbols.
