Former West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo Mamata Banerjee has approached the Supreme Court challenging the Election Commission of India’s (ECI) interim decision to freeze the party’s name and its traditional ‘Flowers & Grass’ election symbol amid an escalating dispute between rival factions.
The challenge follows the poll panel’s September 17 decision to prevent both factions from using the name ‘All India Trinamool Congress’ and the reserved symbol pending adjudication of their competing claims. The ECI has instead directed the rival groups to contest the forthcoming by-elections under separate names and symbols.
For the October 6 by-elections, the Commission has allotted the name ‘Mamata All India Trinamool Congress’ and the ‘Football Player’ symbol to the faction led by Banerjee. The rival faction has been assigned the name ‘Democratic Trinamool Congress’ and the ‘Envelope’ symbol. The arrangement is intended to operate for the ensuing electoral contests while the underlying dispute over the party’s identity remains pending.
Banerjee’s petition challenges the Election Commission’s decision to deprive her faction of the established party identity and reserved symbol. The dispute has its roots in an internal organisational conflict, with rival groups laying claim to the TMC’s political and organisational identity.
The Election Commission’s order has significant immediate electoral implications, particularly with by-elections scheduled in West Bengal. The poll panel’s interim arrangement seeks to ensure that candidates affiliated with the rival factions do not contest under an identical party name or symbol during the electoral process.
The Supreme Court plea is expected to be mentioned for urgent listing before a Bench headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant on September 21.
The legal challenge places the Commission’s exercise of its powers in relation to disputed party identity and election symbols directly before the apex court. The proceedings could also determine the extent to which an interim arrangement concerning a recognised political party’s name and reserved symbol can operate when rival organisational claims remain unresolved.
The matter assumes added significance ahead of the October 6 by-elections, as the competing factions have been required to campaign and field candidates under distinct electoral identities following the Commission’s interim directions.
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