The National Citizen Party (NCP) will not be granted the ‘Shapla’ (water lily) symbol in the upcoming elections, as it is not listed in the current schedule of approved election symbols. Election Commission (EC) Senior Secretary Akhtar Ahmed announced that the EC will issue a new public notice determining an alternative symbol at its discretion. He confirmed that the commission’s stance on the matter remains unchanged and that no new proposals have been received regarding the Shapla issue. Meanwhile, NCP’s northern regional chief organizer, Sarjis Alam, has warned that the party may take to the streets if denied the Shapla symbol. He claimed that legal experts see no obstacle to granting the emblem and criticized the EC’s decision as a threat to electoral independence. Alam added that if protests begin, NCP will also demand the reformation of the current Election Commission.