3 hrs ago
Election Commission Seeks Documents Amid Trinamool Congress Control Dispute
The Trinamool Congress has two groups arguing about who officially controls the party.
One group is led by Mamata Banerjee, and the other is led by Ritabrata Banerjee.
Both groups spoke separately to the Election Commission.
The commission has not yet made a temporary decision in the dispute.
It has asked the Mamata-led group to provide more documents by September 16.
The commission may hold another hearing on September 17.
The Mamata group says its party structure is still valid.
The Ritabrata group says the old organisational committee has ended and wants official recognition.
The disagreement matters because candidates are preparing to contest upcoming West Bengal by-elections using the party symbol.
The Election Commission has not issued an interim order on the Trinamool Congress organisational-control dispute, according to Kalyan Banerjee.
The Mamata Banerjee-led faction may submit additional documents by 3 p.m. on September 16, with a hearing scheduled for September 17 if required.
Both rival factions appeared separately before the full Election Commission on Saturday over the party’s organisational structure and authorised signatories.
The Mamata faction says its organisational structure remains valid, while the Ritabrata Banerjee faction seeks recognition and says the previous committee’s term has ended.
The dispute comes before nominations close for the Nandigram and Rejinagar Assembly bypolls on September 16, with voting scheduled for October 6.
- Who
- The Mamata Banerjee-led and Ritabrata Banerjee-led factions of the Trinamool Congress, along with the Election Commission.
- What
- The factions are disputing the Trinamool Congress’s organisational control, authorised signatories and use of its party structure and symbol.
- Where
- The dispute is before the Election Commission and concerns the Trinamool Congress in West Bengal; the bypolls are in Nandigram and Rejinagar.
- When
- The factions appeared before the commission on Saturday; additional documents are due by September 16, with a possible hearing on September 17, ahead of October 6 bypolls.
- Why
- The Ritabrata faction says the previous organisational committee’s tenure has ended, while the Mamata faction says its structure remains valid and the rival group has not followed the required process.
Mamata Banerjee-led faction
Ritabrata Banerjee-led faction
Validity of organisational structure
Mamata Banerjee-led faction
The faction says the Trinamool Congress’s organisational structure is valid and that the party follows a five-year organisational election cycle.
Ritabrata Banerjee-led faction
The faction says the existing organisational structure has ceased to be valid because the previous committee’s tenure has ended.
Basis of the rival claim
Mamata Banerjee-led faction
The faction says the rebels rely on an outdated constitutional provision and have not followed the prescribed organisational process.
Ritabrata Banerjee-led faction
The faction says there is a constitutional crisis in the party and has announced a new National Working Committee.
Recognition and party representation
Mamata Banerjee-led faction
The faction has submitted organisational records and maintains that its authorised-signatory arrangements and party structure remain valid.
Ritabrata Banerjee-led faction
The faction has sought Election Commission recognition of its claim over the party organisation.
Key facts
- Election Commission position
- No interim order has been passed; additional documents may be submitted by 3 p.m. on September 16.
- Possible hearing
- The commission said it would hold a hearing at 4 p.m. on September 17, if required.
- Mamata faction delegation
- Derek O’Brien, Kalyan Banerjee, Sagarika Ghose, Saket Gokhale and advocate Abhinav Singh represented the faction.
- Ritabrata faction claim
- The faction says the previous committee’s tenure has ended and has sought recognition from the commission.
- Party constitution cited
- The Mamata faction cited Rule 9(a) of the 2010 party constitution, which provides for five-year terms for party committees and office-bearers.
- Upcoming bypolls
- Nandigram and Rejinagar Assembly bypolls are scheduled for October 6, with nominations closing on September 16.
- Party symbol
- Kalyan Banerjee said the party’s candidates would contest under the symbol of two flowers with grass.
Quotes
Kalyan Banerjee
Trinamool Congress MP who commented on the Election Commission proceedings
“The Election Commission has not passed any interim order. Election Commission has directed us to appear on 16th and 17th September. Therefore, our party candidates in by-election contest with our party symbol, i.e. two flowers with grass”
theprint.in
Sources
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