

CHENNAI: The Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), led by actor Vijay, on Tuesday officially applied for the allocation of an election symbol ahead of the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly polls.
According to party sources, TVK has shortlisted 10 symbols from the list of free symbols notified by the Election Commission of India (EC) and has requested that one of them be allotted to the party. In addition to the shortlisted options, TVK functionaries have also proposed a few newly-designed symbols created by party members themselves and submitted them in illustrated form to the EC for consideration.
Under ECI guidelines, registered but unrecognised political parties are permitted to suggest up to 15 symbols from the pool of free symbols and may also propose new designs. The final decision on allocation rests with the EC, which evaluates the proposals based on distinctiveness, relevance and visual clarity.
TVK sources said the party is keen on choosing a symbol that resonates with its core message of youth empowerment and political change. "Our focus is on identifying a symbol that reflects the party's values and connects easily with the people," a senior leader said.
To avoid potential competition from other registered and unrecognised parties for preferred symbols, TVK sources declined to disclose which designs were submitted. The EC is expected to announce its decision in a couple of months before the announcement of the election notification.