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Supreme Court Sets Deadlines in Trinamool Name-Symbol Dispute
Two groups are arguing over the Trinamool Congress name and election symbol.
The Supreme Court told the Election Commission to decide the dispute within four months.
The groups must first submit their written evidence within four weeks.
The court did not give the Bengal Speaker a strict deadline to decide whether 10 rebel MLAs should lose their seats.
However, it reminded the Speaker that an earlier case used a three-month timeframe.
The court said the Speaker would likely try to act within that period.
For upcoming October 6 by-elections, the Mamata group is temporarily using a football-player symbol.
The rebel group is using an envelope symbol and a different party name.
The court also said the Election Commission could use artificial intelligence to help review many affidavits.
The Supreme Court gave the Election Commission four months to decide the Trinamool name-and-symbol dispute.
The court declined to impose a formal deadline on the Bengal Speaker over disqualification pleas against 10 rebel MLAs.
It cited a 2021 ruling that gave a Speaker three months to decide a defection case.
The two Trinamool factions must submit affidavits and counter-affidavits within four weeks.
For October 6 by-elections, the Mamata faction received a temporary football-player symbol, while rebels received an envelope symbol.
- Who
- The Supreme Court, the Election Commission, the Bengal Speaker, the Mamata Banerjee faction and the rebel Trinamool bloc.
- What
- The court set a four-month deadline for the Election Commission's name-and-symbol decision but declined to impose a formal deadline on the Speaker's disqualification decision.
- Where
- The dispute concerns the Trinamool Congress in Bengal and proceedings before the Supreme Court and Election Commission.
- When
- The order was issued on Monday; the three-month period cited for the Speaker would end on October 8, and the by-elections are scheduled for October 6.
- Why
- The Mamata faction is seeking restoration of the original party name and flowers-and-grass symbol and wants 10 rebel MLAs disqualified.
Mamata faction
Rebel bloc
Party name and symbol
Mamata faction
It challenged the Election Commission's interim allocations and seeks restoration of the original Trinamool Congress name and flowers-and-grass symbol.
Rebel bloc
The rebel bloc has been allotted the name Democratic Trinamool Congress and the envelope symbol for the interim period.
Disqualification of MLAs
Mamata faction
It has asked the Bengal Speaker to disqualify 10 rebel MLAs and argues that delays in such cases have become a pattern.
Rebel bloc
The rebel bloc includes more than 60 MLAs; the article does not state its response to the disqualification pleas.
Decision-making process
Mamata faction
Its lawyer argued that the Speaker should act promptly while the dispute remains before the Election Commission.
Rebel bloc
The Election Commission's lawyer said four months was too short because party workers and leaders could submit lakhs of affidavits.
Key facts
- Election Commission deadline
- Four months from Monday to decide the Trinamool name-and-symbol dispute.
- Affidavit deadline
- Both factions must file affidavits and counter-affidavits within four weeks.
- Speaker timeframe
- The court cited an earlier three-month timeframe, ending October 8 based on the July 8 filing date, but issued no formal deadline.
- By-election date
- October 6.
- Mamata faction allocation
- The temporary name is Mamata All India Trinamool Congress, with the football-player symbol.
- Rebel bloc allocation
- The name is Democratic Trinamool Congress, with the envelope symbol.
- Disqualification pleas
- The Mamata faction has sought disqualification of 10 key rebel members.
Quotes
Justice Joymalya Bagchi
A Supreme Court judge on the bench hearing the petitions.
“There are statutes where the judiciary is required to complete proceedings within a timeframe. We are gloriously in breach of that, so how can we tell the Speaker? I think we should see the mirror before we give directions.”
telegraphindia.com
“We have every reason to believe that the Speaker is fully cognisant of the decision of this court and he will thus make an endeavour to take an appropriate decision within the time-frame fixed.”
telegraphindia.com
Sources
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