India, Sept. 29 -- The Supreme Court on Monday directed the Election Commission of India (ECI) to decide within four months the dispute between the two rival factions of the All India Trinamool Congress over the party name and the flowers-and-grass election symbol.

A Bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana asked the rival factions to complete their pleadings before the poll panel within four weeks and directed the ECI to decide the issue within three months after the parties complete their pleadings. The SC passed the order while hearing a plea filed by former West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee against the ECI's decision to freeze the TMC's name and party symbol.

While hearing the matter on Se...