A hearing will be held in the Supreme Court on Wednesday regarding the election symbol of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). Sharad Pawar has applied for this. NCP is divided into two groups. One group belongs to Ajit Pawar and the other belongs to Sharad Pawar. There is a dispute between the two regarding the original symbol of the party, the watch.
A hearing was also held in the Supreme Court on October 24 in this matter, in which the court granted relief to Ajit Pawar's group. The court said that the Ajit group's Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) can use the 'clock' symbol in the upcoming Maharashtra assembly elections, but it has to state in its election banners and posters that it is a matter of dispute and pending in court.
A bench of Justice Suryakant, Justice Dipankar Dutta and Justice Ujjwal Bhuiyan directed Ajit Pawar's counsel to submit a fresh affidavit. He also warned that if the order is violated, he will file a contempt case himself.
In fact, the Sharad group's plea said that the Ajit group is not complying with the court's order, so it should be stopped from using the 'clock' symbol in the Maharashtra assembly elections. Also, the Ajit Group may be directed to apply for a new emblem.
The court said – do not create an embarrassing situation for yourself by disobeying the order Justice Suryakant told Ajit Pawar's lawyer Balveer Singh that – once we give an instruction, it has 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 4 hearings related to NCP's election symbol…
- October 24: The Supreme Court directed that the Ajit group's Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) can use the 'clock' symbol in the upcoming Maharashtra assembly elections, but it will have to mention in election banners and posters that it is the subject of controversy. and is pending in court.
- April 4: The Supreme Court directed that the Sharad Pawar group will only use the name NCP (Sharad Pawar) and the symbol of a person playing a trumpet. The court said- In other words, the petitioner Sharad Pawar or his supporters shall not use the clock symbol.
- March 19: The Supreme Court allowed NCP Sharad Chandra Pawar's election symbol of a person playing a trumpet. The Ajit Pawar group was asked to advertise in English, Hindi and Marathi newspapers that their election symbol watch case was pending in court. The final decision will be taken only after the court hearing. NCP Ajit Pawar in every template, advertisement, audio-video clip must also mention that clock election symbol is pending 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 reply by March 18. The bench ordered the Ajit group to give an unconditional written undertaking that they would not use Sharad Pawar's image.
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 faction as genuine 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 true NCP. He also rejected the demand for disqualification of Ajit Group MLAs.
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 group 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.
- Following this, Ajith announced the removal of Sharad Pawar as the National President of the NCP on 5 July 2023. He declared himself the new National President. Ajith said the decision was taken at the party's national executive meeting in Mumbai on June 30, 2023.
- Ajit Pawar wrote a letter to the Election Commission on June 30, expressing his claim on the NCP nomination. Also, Sharad group leader Jayant Patil had on July 3 sought the disqualification of 31 MLAs, including nine ministers, including Ajith.
- Ajith claimed on June 30 that he had a majority, hence his authority over the party. By applying to the commission, Ajith presented more than 9 thousand documents.
Image Credit: (Divya-Bhaskar): Images/graphics belong to (Divya-Bhaskar).
