The Supreme Court on Thursday told Ajit Pawar that the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) can use the 'clock' symbol in the upcoming Maharashtra assembly elections, but the election banners and posters will have to state that the matter is a matter of dispute and is pending before the court.
The court was hearing a plea by the Sharad group, which said that the Ajit group was not complying with the court's order, so it should be restrained from using the clock symbol in the assembly elections. Also, Ajit Group should be instructed to apply for a new mark.
A bench of Justices Suryakant, Dipankar Dutta and Ujjwal Bhuyan directed Ajit Pawar's counsel that the Ajit group should also file a fresh affidavit. He also warned that if the order is violated, he will initiate a contempt case himself. The next hearing of the case will be on November 6.
On January 22, the Election Commission issued a logo of a man playing a trumpet to the Sharad faction.
The court said – do not create an embarrassing situation for yourself by disobeying the order Justice Suryakant told Singh – Once we issue instructions, they have to be followed. You file a reply and give a fresh affidavit that you have not committed any violation in the past and will not commit any violation in the future. We expect both parties to follow our instructions. Don't create an embarrassing situation for yourself.
Last 3 hearings related to NCP's election symbol…
- April 4: The Supreme Court had directed that the Sharad Pawar group would only use the name NCP (Sharad Pawar) and the symbol of a person playing a turha (trumpet). The court said- In other words, the petitioner Sharad Pawar or his supporters will not use the clock symbol.
- March 19: The Supreme Court approved NCP Sharad Chandra Pawar's election symbol 'Man Blowing Trumpet'. The Ajit Pawar group was asked to publicly advertise in English, Hindi and Marathi newspapers that their election symbol Ghari case is pending in court. The final decision will be taken only after the court hearing. NCP Ajit Pawar must also mention in every template, advertisement, audio-video clip that the clock election symbol is under consideration in court.
- March 14: Supreme Court told Ajit Pawar- Ajit Group should write that they will not use Sharad Pawar's photo. The court said – now you are a separate party, create your separate identity. Also asked to file the answer by March 18. The bench ordered the Ajit group to give an unconditional written undertaking that they would not use Sharad Pawar's photograph.
Voting in Maharashtra on 20th November, counting on 23rd November The Election Commission announced the date of Maharashtra assembly elections on October 15. All 288 seats in the state will go to polls in a single phase on November 20. The result will come on November 23.
What is the whole matter…
February 6: Election Commission deems Ajit group to be de facto NCP, Sharad approaches Supreme Court Supporters of Ajit Pawar celebrate at the NCP office in Mumbai after the Election Commission's decision on February 6. The Election Commission also declared Ajit Pawar's faction as the de facto NCP on February 6 this year. Also, the commission asked Sharad Pawar to submit three names for the new political party by 4 pm on February 7.
The Election Commission gave this decision after 10 hearings lasting 6 months. The panel said that a majority number of MLAs helped the Ajit group to get NCP's name and election symbol. Against which party founder Sharad Pawar filed an application in the Supreme Court. On February 16, the Supreme Court accepted Sharad Pawar's plea for urgent hearing.
February 15: Maharashtra Assembly Speaker calls Ajith's group the real NCP Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Rahul Narvekar was ordered by the Supreme Court to give a verdict on the disqualification of NCP MLAs by February 15. On 15 February Narvekar recognized the Ajit Pawar faction as the de facto NCP. He also rejected the demand for disqualification of MLAs from the Ajit group.
The speaker said that the anti-defection law in the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution cannot be used to suppress internal dissent. When the NCP split in July 2023, the Ajit Pawar faction had an 'overwhelming MLA majority' of 41 out of 53 MLAs.
Ajith had said on July 5- Now I am the NCP chief
- Ajit Pawar joined the Shinde government on July 2, 2023 along with 8 NCP MLAs in Maharashtra. He claimed the support of 40 NCP MLAs with him. Ajith was made Deputy CM in the coalition government.
- After this, Ajith announced the removal of Sharad Pawar from the post of National President of NCP on 5 July 2023. He declared himself the new National President. Ajith said that this decision was taken at the party's national executive meeting in Mumbai on June 30, 2023.
- Ajit Pawar had sent a letter to the Election Commission on June 30, expressing his claim on the NCP nomination. At the same time, Sharad group leader Jayant Patil on July 3 sought the disqualification of 31 MLAs, including nine ministers, including Ajith.
- Ajith claimed on 30 June that he has a majority, so he has power over the party. By applying to the commission, Ajith presented more than 9 thousand documents.
In the hearing held on July 29, the court sought a reply from the Ajit group The Sharad group filed a petition against the Maharashtra Assembly Speaker declaring the Ajit group as the de facto NCP. The case was heard by a bench of Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, Justice JB Pardiwala and Justice Manoj Mishra. The court sought a response from Ajit Pawar and 40 MLAs from his group in this matter.
Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for the Sharad group, sought an early hearing arguing that the term of the assembly will end in November. On this, the bench said that this petition of the Sharad group will be heard after the hearing of the similar petition filed by the Uddhav Thackeray group.
CJI said that we will issue a notice and finally all objections will be heard. Other defendants are also at liberty to serve dasti (method of giving notice). In fact, the Uddhav Thackeray faction has even filed a petition in the Supreme Court against declaring Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and his faction as the genuine Shiv Sena.
NCP limited to only 2 states The NCP was stripped of its national party status on April 10, 2023 based on the current election results of 2000. Now it is recognized as a regional party only in Maharashtra and Nagaland.
Image Credit: (Divya-Bhaskar): Images/graphics belong to (Divya-Bhaskar).
