The Supreme Court has set a timeline for the Election Commission of India to decide the dispute between rival Trinamool Congress factions over the party’s name and election symbol.
A bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant and comprising Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana directed both sides to complete their affidavits, counter-affidavits and other submissions within four weeks. After that, the ECI will have three months to reach a decision.
The case follows the poll panel’s interim decision to freeze the original TMC name and its “Flowers & Grass” symbol amid the factional dispute.
For the upcoming bypolls, the Mamata Banerjee-led faction has been allotted the name “Mamata All India Trinamool Congress” along with a football player symbol. The rival faction has been given the name “Democratic Trinamool Congress” and an envelope symbol.
The ECI had sought more time, citing that similar disputes have taken several months to resolve. However, the Supreme Court declined to extend the timeline.
The bench also made it clear that the deadline should not be viewed as an opinion on the merits of the dispute.
