Kolkata, Sept. 21 -- The now Mamata All India Trinamool Congress (MAITC) leader Mamata Banerjee on Monday sought an urgent hearing in the Supreme Court against the Election Commission's interim decision to bar both factions of the party from using the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) name and its reserved 'Flowers & Grass' symbol.
Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for Banerjee, mentioned the matter before a Bench headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and questioned the timing of the poll panel's decision to freeze the party's identity while its proceedings over the dispute were still pending.
The CJI said the rival faction would also have submissions to make, and that the matter would be considered for listing.
Banerjee's plea challenges the ECI's September 18 interim order, passed amid competing claims by two groups to represent the AITC. The poll panel invoked the interim arrangement, finding insufficient time to conclude the substantive proceedings under Paragraph 15 of the Election Symbols (Reservation & Allotment) Order, 1968, before the October 6 Assembly bypolls.
The ECI subsequently assigned alternative identities to the rival groups for the bypolls. The faction led by Banerjee was allotted the name 'Mamata All India Trinamool Congress' and the 'Football Player' symbol, while the rival faction led by Ritabratra Banerjee was given 'Democratic Trinamool Congress' and the 'Envelope' symbol.
Banerjee has sought restoration of the AITC name and its reserved symbol, challenging the interim arrangement before the apex court.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.