Supreme Court Sets Four Month Deadline For Election Commission To Resolve TMC Symbol Dispute The Supreme Court has directed the Election Commission to resolve the All India Trinamool Congress name and symbol dispute within four months. Both factions have been given four weeks to file their affidavits before the poll body takes a final decision. New Delhi: The Supreme Court has intervened decisively in the ongoing political feud surrounding the name and election symbol of the All India Trinamool Congress, setting a strict four-month deadline for the Election Commission to settle the matter. Under the directives issued by the apex court, both rival factions have been granted a period of four weeks to submit their respective affidavits and counter-affidavits. Once this initial pleading stage concludes, the poll panel will have a dedicated window of three months to deliberate and deliver its final verdict. This structured timeline ensures that the entire dispute resolution process will reach its logical conclusion within a maximum period of four months. Four-Week Window Set For Legal Pleadings Following this judicial directive, all legal arguments and formal responses from both competing camps must be wrapped up within four weeks. The completion of these document filings will pave the way for the Election Commission to dedicate the subsequent three months entirely to evaluating the merits and finalizing its order. This controversy essentially centers around the intense power struggle between the faction led by Mamata Banerjee and the group led by Ritabrata Banerjee, both claiming legitimate ownership over the AITC name and its recognized grass and flowers symbol. In response to this deadlock, the election panel had issued an interim order on September 17, explicitly restraining both warring factions from utilizing the disputed name and symbol for ongoing political activities. Different Symbols Allocated For Upcoming By-Elections As a consequence of the ongoing administrative freeze, the Election Commission allotted separate temporary symbols to both factions for the upcoming legislative assembly by-elections in West Bengal scheduled for October 6. The Mamata Banerjee-led camp was assigned the football player symbol, while the faction headed by Arup Roy received the envelope symbol. These interim allocations were finalized after the commission heard submissions from both sides. Official records indicate that the Mamata-led faction was provisionally designated as the Mamata All India Trinamool Congress, whereas the rival group led by Arup Roy was categorized as the Democratic Trinamool Congress, keeping both entities distinct until a permanent resolution is reached. Challenge Brought Before The Apex Bench The election authority had previously emphasized that a comprehensive examination under the provisions of the Election Symbols Reservation and Allotment Order of 1968 was necessary to settle the core dispute permanently. Mamata Banerjee chose to challenge the poll panel's interim decision by filing a petition in the Supreme Court. The hearings are currently being conducted by a bench presided over by Chief Justice Surya Kant, alongside Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice V. Mohana. Meanwhile, the administrative machinery remains focused on the upcoming by-elections in the Nandigram seat located in East Medinipur district and the Raninagar seat in Murshidabad district, which are set for October 6 with vote counting scheduled for October 9. What this means for you This judicial directive will significantly influence regional political alignments and administrative preparations in West Bengal. • In West Bengal: Voters in Nandigram and Raninagar must cast their ballots using newly assigned temporary symbols during the upcoming by-elections. Local political workers will experience heightened clarity once the four-month resolution window concludes. • Across India: National political coalitions may experience strategic shifts as key regional leaders navigate internal organizational disputes. Regional parties will need to pay closer attention to statutory compliance regarding party symbols and nomenclature. Why this happened This institutional deadlock originated from a severe internal factional struggle over the control and official recognition of the political organization. • Leadership Rivalry: Escalating tensions between competing factions within the party structure created an irreconcilable divide over rightful authority. • Statutory Intervention: The poll panel intervened under established electoral rules to freeze the disputed identity pending a comprehensive inquiry. • Judicial Appeal: Affected leaders challenged the interim restrictions in the apex court, prompting the bench to establish a strict timeline for completion. Questions & Answers 1. How much time has the Supreme Court given the Election Commission to resolve the dispute? The Supreme Court has instructed the Election Commission to finalize the matter within a maximum period of four months. 2. What is the deadline for both factions to submit their affidavits? The court has directed both rival groups to file their respective affidavits and counter-affidavits within four weeks. 3. Which symbol was allocated to the Mamata Banerjee faction for the by-elections? The poll panel assigned the football player symbol to the faction led by Mamata Banerjee. 4. When are the West Bengal assembly by-elections scheduled to take place? The by-elections for the Nandigram and Raninagar seats are scheduled for October 6, with vote counting on October 9. 5. Who is heading the Supreme Court bench hearing this petition? The hearings are being conducted by a bench presided over by Chief Justice Surya Kant. https://trendkia.com/en/national/supreme-court-sets-four-month-deadline-for-election-commission-to-resolve-tmc-symbol-dispute-39956 TrendKia — Har trend, sabse pehle.