SC Asks NCP's Ajit Pawar, Sharad Pawar Factions To Follow March 19 Directive For Symbols, Ads

The Supreme Court on Thursday asked both Sharad Pawar and Ajit Pawar factions of the Nationalist Congress Party to abide by its interim order of March 19 on use of symbols, party names and disclaimers in publicity material for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

A panel of Judges Surya Kant and KV Viswanathan, while resolving the requests submitted by both parties regarding the failure to adhere to its March 19 ruling, stated "it is high time that leaders of both factions should be somewhere else and not courts".

The Supreme Court had earlier directed the Sharad Pawar faction to sensitise party workers on using the name 'Nationalist Congress Party-Sharadchandra Pawar' and symbol 'man blowing turha' (a traditional trumpet also known as tutari) in poll campaigns.

It further directed that the faction led by the veteran leader to ask their party workers, leaders, office bearers and lawmakers not to use the ‘clock’ symbol in poll advertisements, which has been allotted to the Ajit Pawar led bloc of the NCP.

The Ajit Pawar faction was instructed by the court to publish larger and more noticeable advertisements in newspapers stating that the allocation of the 'clock' symbol to them is still being decided by the court.

The bench rejected the request from the Ajit Pawar-led group to change the directions given in the court's March 19 order, stating that there seems to be no need for any modifications.

On March 19, the top court allowed the Sharad Pawar faction to use 'Nationalist Congress Party-Sharadchandra Pawar' as its name for the Lok Sabha and assembly polls.

The Supreme Court has instructed the faction led by Ajit Pawar to publish a public notice in English, Hindi, and Marathi newspapers. This notice should state that the allocation of the 'clock' symbol is currently under consideration by the court, and the respondent is allowed to use it until a final decision is made.

"Such a declaration shall be incorporated in every pamphlet, advertisement, audio or video clip to be issued by the respondent (NCP) political party," the top court had said.