TMC Symbol Battle: SC Rejects EC’s 6-Month Request, Sets 3-Month Decision Deadline

The Supreme Court on Monday put a time-bound framework in place for the Election Commission to decide the dispute between rival factions of the All India Trinamool Congress over the party’s name and ‘flowers and grass’ election symbol.

A bench headed by Chief Justice Surya Kant and comprising Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana gave the rival factions four weeks to complete their pleadings, including additional documents, affidavits and counter-affidavits. The Election Commission will then have three months to take a final decision on the dispute.

The timeline came after the poll panel sought six months to adjudicate the matter, citing the scale of evidence it may have to examine. The EC's counsel told the court that affidavits from party workers, cadres and supporters could run into the lakhs, making the exercise time-consuming.

The bench, however, indicated that three months after completion of pleadings would be sufficient. Justice Bagchi also suggested that the Election Commission could use artificial intelligence and machine-learning tools to assist in processing the large volume of documents and expedite the proceedings.

The order was passed while hearing a plea filed by former West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee challenging the EC's interim decision to freeze the TMC's original name and its reserved symbol pending a substantive determination of the dispute.

The Election Commission had earlier barred both rival groups from using the All India Trinamool Congress name and the ‘flowers and grass’ symbol. As an interim arrangement, the Banerjee-led faction was allotted the name Mamata All India Trinamool Congress and the Football Player symbol, while the rival faction was allotted Democratic Trinamool Congress and the Envelope symbol.

The dispute has gained urgency because of the upcoming October 6 assembly bypolls in Nandigram and Rejinagar. Counting is scheduled for October 9.

The Supreme Court's latest order does not decide which faction is entitled to the original TMC name or symbol. That substantive question remains before the Election Commission, which must now complete the adjudication within the timeline fixed by the court.