Siwan, April 19: All political parties have their symbols but they assume greater significance when it’s election time.

The Election Commission (EC) has many credits up its sleeves in conducting free and fair polls in the state. But it has erred in a very interesting manner.

It has changed the symbols of candidates for the post of mukhiya. The situation is such that the candidate requesting the voters to cast their votes on a particular symbol is now given some other symbol. The number of such candidates is 14. Though the EC has rectified its error just before hours of polling for the first phase, this kind of error has angered those candidates.

The candidates for the post of mukhiya of Ghurghat panchayat under Siswan block in Siwan district were at their wits’ end when they found their respective symbols on which they campaigned changed. They were seeking votes in their favour and informing the voters about their symbols.

Their frustration knew no bounds when they came to know their symbols were different in the ballot papers. The poll campaign has stopped from today. They have demanded cancellation of election of the said panchayat.

District magistrate-cum-returning officer Lokesh Kumar said he has sought guidelines from the EC.

According to information, there are 14 candidates for the post of mukhiya in this panchayat.

A candidate, Manti Devi, requested the voters to cast their vote on the funnel (chimney) symbol, but she was given the symbol of a candle. Raj Kumari Devi campaigned for the symbol of a car now but she has been allotted with the carom board symbol.

Leelavati Devi campaigned hard for carom board symbol and now she has been given the symbol of a carrot. Ramavati Devi campaigned for candle, now her symbol is a car. Enraged over this situation all the candidates went to the DM-cum-returning officer and demanded postponing of the election of the said panchayat.