The Supreme Court on Tuesday directed that the NCP Ajit Pawar faction should make a public declaration that the use of the clock symbol by it for the ensuing Lok Sabha elections and the Maharashtra Assembly elections is sub-judice and subject to the outcome of the challenge made by the Sharad Pawar group to the decision of the Election Commission of India (ECI), which recognized Ajit Pawar faction as the real Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).
The court remarked that NCP-Ajit Pawar faction is directed to issue a public notice in the newspapers in English, Marathi, Hindi editions notifying that the allocation of the clock symbol is sub-judice and that they shall be permitted to use the same subject to the final outcome of the proceedings. The court mentioned that such a declaration shall be incorporated in every template, advertisement, audio or video clip issued on behalf of the respondent political party.
Furthermore, the Supreme Court ordered that the Sharad Pawar group will be entitled to use the name Nationalist Congress Party – Sharad Chandra Pawar and man blowing turrah (trumpet) symbol for Lok Sabha and State Assembly elections. Earlier, the Election Commission of India had allowed the Sharad Pawar group to use this name for the purpose of the Rajya Sabha Elections held in February.
The apex court further stated that the symbol man blowing turha (trumpet) symbol will be a reserved symbol for NCP Sharad Pawar faction for the Parliamentary and State Assembly Elections and that it shall not be allocated to any other political party, independent candidate and the same shall not be used in any manner by the Ajit Pawar group in the ensuing elections. The ECI and the State Election Commission of Maharashtra were directed to take necessary actions in this regard.
In addition, the Court also directed that the undertaking made by the NCP to not use the name and pictures of Sharad Pawar in election posters will apply not just to the State of Maharashtra but also to other States.
A bench of Justice Surya Kant and Justice KV Viswanathan passed these interim directions while hearing a Special Leave Petition filed by the Sharad Pawar group against the February 6 decision of the ECI to officially recognize Ajit Pawar group as the real NCP and allot the party symbol clock to them.