SC gives poll panel 3 months to decide on symbol dispute between TMC factions

SC asks EC to settle Trinamool symbol dispute within 3 months

NEW DELHI: Supreme Court Monday asked Election Commission to decide the dispute between Mamata Banerjee-headed Trinamool Congress and the rival faction over the "two flower with grass symbol" within three months and gave four weeks to the opposing groups to complete their pleadings and submit evidence to stake claim over the symbol.Responding to Mamata's petition questioning the freezing of TMC's original symbol, senior advocate D Seshadri Naidu argued on EC's behalf that in past cases related to disputes over election symbols, the poll panel had taken between six and eight months to decide these matters and pleaded for six more months, citing ongoing preparations for forthcoming assembly elections in five states.For Mamata, who is seeking the quashing of EC's Sept 17 order freezing the TMC symbol, senior advocates Kapil Sibal and Kalyan Bandopadhyay told a bench of CJI Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana that three months already had lapsed and a delay would further encourage the defectors, headed by Ritabrata Banerjee. EC has, in the meanwhile, allotted 'football player' symbol to Mamata All India Trinamool Congress, while giving the 'envelope' symbol to rival faction 'Democratic Trinamool Congress'."Freezing of AITMC name and symbol is carried out (by EC) mainly to disentitle Mamata from claiming name and symbol for which she has fought and represented all her life," the petition said.