Supreme Court Asks Both Sharad Pawar and Ajit Pawar Factions of NCP To Abide by Its Order on Use of Symbol, Party Name

On Thursday, the Supreme Court directed both factions led by Sharad Pawar and Ajit Pawar within the Nationalist Congress Party to adhere to its instructions regarding the utilization of symbols, party names, and disclaimers in promotional material for both assembly and general elections.

A bench of Justices Surya Kant and KV Viswanathan, while disposing of the applications filed by both sides on non-compliance of its March 19 order, said it is high time that leaders of both factions should be somewhere else and not courts. The Supreme Court's directive specifically instructs the Sharad Pawar faction to ensure that party workers are informed about utilizing the name 'Nationalist Congress Party-Sharadchandra Pawar' and the symbol of 'man blowing turha' (a traditional trumpet also referred to as tutari) during their election campaigns.

Additionally, the Supreme Court ordered the faction led by the veteran leader to instruct their party workers, leaders, office bearers, and lawmakers to refrain from using the 'clock' symbol in election advertisements. This symbol has been allocated to the Ajit Pawar-led bloc of the NCP.

Similarly, it asked the Ajit Pawar faction to issue bigger and prominent advertisements in newspapers saying allocation of ‘clock’ symbol to it is sub-judice, as was directed in the apex court’s March 19 order.