Mamata Banerjee moves Supreme Court against ECI freeze on TMC symbol

Mamata Banerjee has moved the Supreme Court against the ECI’s interim order freezing the TMC’s original name and symbol amid a rival faction’s claim.

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Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee has approached the Supreme Court challenging the Election Commission of India’s (ECI) decision to bar her faction from using the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) party symbol amid rival claims by a faction led by Ritabrata Banerjee to be the real AITC.

In her petition filed before the top court on Friday, the former West Bengal chief minister challenged the poll panel’s interim order passed on Thursday, freezing the original party symbol and asking both factions to choose a name and symbol of their choice.

On Friday, under protest, the AITC founder suggested a neutral poll symbol along with choices for a party name. A similar exercise was carried out by the rival faction. The ECI recognised the rival faction led by Ritabrata Banerjee as “Democratic Trinamool Congress” and allotted it the “envelope” symbol.

Similarly, the poll panel, led by Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, named the Mamata-led faction “Mamata All India Trinamool Congress” and allotted it a “football player” symbol. The decision comes ahead of the West Bengal bypolls to be conducted early next month. Both parties were recognised as political parties in West Bengal, Tripura and Meghalaya.

The petition filed by the AITC leader has named the ECI, along with Ritabrata Banerjee, as respondents. The petition is yet to be numbered and registered, upon which the matter will be ripe for hearing.