The Supreme Court has set a deadline for the Election Commission to take a call on the ongoing dispute regarding the name of Trinamool Congress and its twin flowers election symbol.
The Commission has three months to settle the matter permanently, the judges said, over-ruling its objection that it is too short a time.
The Supreme Court’s order came in response to a petition by Bengal’s former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who challenged the Election Commission’s decision to freeze the party symbol.
The top court’s order came in response to a petition by Bengal’s former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who challenged the poll commission’s decision to freeze the party symbol. After the split in the party following the assembly polls, the rival factions have both claimed the twin-flower symbol, arguing they are the real Trinamool in a reprise of the dispute over the symbols of Shiv Sena and the Nationalist Congress Party. The Commission had argued that it requires at least six months to decide on such a complex matter. Justice Joymalya Bagchi, however, observed that three months are sufficient. The poll commission has allotted revised names and symbols to both factions. The Mamata Banerjee-led faction is called the Mamata All India Trinamool Congress and was given the football player symbol. The Ritabrata Banerjee faction was dubbed the Democratic Trinamool Congress and given the envelope symbol.
The court said thereafter, the Election Commission must reach a final decision on the dispute within three months. In case the Commission hits a snag, they can approach the court, the judges said.
