Supreme Court gives ECI four months to resolve TMC name, symbol dispute
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Supreme Court gives ECI four months to resolve TMC name, symbol dispute")
This photograph taken on May 26, 2025 shows a view of India's Supreme Court building in New Delhi. Photograph: (AFP)
The Election Commission submitted details on past timelines to the Supreme Court in the dispute over the freezing of the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) name and its “Flowers & Grass” symbol. The court has fixed a clear schedule that pushes a final decision into early 2027.
The Supreme Court on Monday directed the Election Commission of India to finally resolve the ownership dispute over the All India Trinamool Congress name and its reserved “Flowers & Grass” election symbol within roughly four months. A bench headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, along with Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V. Mohana, was hearing a writ petition filed by former West Bengal Chief Minister and party founder Mamata Banerjee. She has challenged the ECI’s 17 September interim order that froze the original party name and symbol amid a factional split.
The freeze came after the Commission concluded that two rival groups were each claiming to be the real Trinamool Congress: one led by Mamata Banerjee and the other by Ritabrata Banerjee (Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly), with Arup Roy as a key figure in the rebel camp. For the upcoming 6 October bye-elections (including Nandigram and Rejinagar), the ECI allotted temporary identities: the Mamata faction received “Mamata All India Trinamool Congress” and the “Football Player” symbol, while the rival faction received “Democratic Trinamool Congress” and the “Envelope” symbol. The Commission made clear these were only interim arrangements pending a full determination under Paragraph 15 of the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968.
During Monday’s hearing the court examined the pace of the proceedings. Justice Joymalya Bagchi questioned the Commission on the delay, noting that several weeks had already passed and that modern tools, including technology, should enable faster progress. The ECI’s counsel cited practical difficulties in collecting evidence and hearing both sides thoroughly. The court declined to go into the merits of the rival claims itself, stating those issues must be examined by the Commission. It also rejected a request for a longer period (such as six months) and instead fixed a tighter schedule based on timelines from earlier symbol disputes.
The bench ordered both factions to complete their pleadings, affidavits, counter-affidavits and additional documents within four weeks. After that, the Election Commission has three months to deliver its final decision. In total, the Commission now has about four months to determine which side (if either) owns the original Trinamool Congress name and symbol. The ruling means the decision will stretch into early 2027 and will not be available before the municipal elections.
The Ritabrata Banerjee-led camp is expected to file its detailed response and supporting material within the four-week window. The Supreme Court emphasised that parties’ cooperation would be important and clarified that it was expressing no opinion on the substance of the dispute, leaving all contentions open for the Election Commission to decide.
