The Supreme Court on Tuesday, March 19, allowed the Sharad Pawar faction of the NCP to use the name 'NCP–SCP' and the symbol of a 'man blowing turrah' for both the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections. The apex court directed the Election Commission of India to officially lock the ‘man blowing turrah’ as the poll symbol of the Sharad Pawar faction.
Details of the Verdict:
The apex court also restrained the Ajit Pawar faction from using the name or photograph of NCP founder Sharad Pawar in any election campaign materials.
It also directed Ajit Pawar to issue a public notice in English, Hindi, and Marathi media and mention in all its campaign ads that the ‘clock’ symbol allotted to it is subject to the outcome of the case pending before it on the challenge to the ECI order recognising Ajit Pawar’s group as ‘real NCP’.
Earlier in March, a bench comprising Justices Surya Kant and K V Viswanathan pulled up the Ajit Pawar camp over the alleged use of Sharad Pawar's name and pictures for campaigning.