New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday (September 28) directed the Election Commission to take a decision on the dispute between the two rival factions
of the All India Trinamool Congress over the party name and the "flowers and grass" election symbol. The poll body has been given four months to decide on the issue. The bench also asked the rival factions to complete their pleadings in the proceedings before the poll panel within four weeks. Notably, during the previous hearing, the Supreme Court had asked the Election Commission to inform it by Monday when it would take a final decision on freezing the symbol. On Thursday, the top court asked the poll body to take a decision on the dispute between rival factions of the All India Trinamool Congress over the party’s name and election symbol within a reasonable timeframe. Earlier this month, the poll panel had allowed the rival groups to use separate names and symbols for the upcoming by-elections while the substantive dispute is pending. The development came as the ECI had ordered an interim freeze on the name 'All India Trinamool Congress' and its symbol 'Jora Phool' (Flowers and Grass) in the wake of upcoming Nandigram and Rejinagar bypolls in West Bengal. The two groups were subsequently allotted separate names and symbols for the by-elections. The Election Commission assigned the Banerjee-led faction the name "Mamata All India Trinamool Congress" and the "Football Player" symbol, while the rival Arup Roy-led group received the name "Democratic Trinamool Congress" and the "Envelope" symbol. What Did ECI Order State? In its order, the poll panel had said the dispute required a substantive determination under the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968. The Election Commission’s decision came after a dispute within the TMC led to rival factions staking claims to the party’s name and symbol. The dispute followed a rebellion within the TMC legislature party after its defeat in the May Assembly elections, which later extended to Parliament.
