Legal Battle Over TMC Name and ‘Flower and Grass’ Symbol Heads to Supreme Court, Deadline Set
NEW DELHI – The Supreme Court on Thursday directed the Election Commission of India to outline a specific timeframe for deciding the Trinamool Congress’s name and its reserved ‘flower and grass’ election symbol. The bench, comprising the Chief Justice and Justices Suryakant, Joymalya Bagchi and V. Mohan, heard Mamata Banerjee’s petition challenging the commission’s interim order that froze the party’s original name and symbol.
The justices warned that the matter must not be stretched indefinitely and that both parties deserve a fair window to present their evidence. The commission was asked to propose a practical schedule that balances timely resolution with adequate deliberation. The next hearing was postponed to September 28.
Senior counsel Kapil Sibal, representing Banerjee, clarified that the petition does not seek to halt the scheduled by‑elections but urges the Supreme Court to ensure that the Election Commission resolves the dispute before the local body elections slated for October.
Sibal highlighted that the dispute reached the commission in July, yet the decision to freeze the party’s name and symbol came only after the by‑elections commenced, raising questions about the timing of the interim order.
Ritabrata Banerjee’s faction, represented by senior lawyer Mukul Rohatgi, expressed willingness to cooperate with the commission but requested a longer period to submit evidence. Another senior advocate, Neeraj Kishan Kaul, cautioned that a 10‑ or 20‑day deadline would be unrealistic given the complex factual matrix.
The court also noted that the Election Commission holds extensive authority under paragraphs 15 and 18 of the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allocation) Order, 1968, to issue interim directives while a dispute is under consideration.
The controversy began when rival groups laid claim to control over TMC’s organisational structure, prompting the commission to freeze the original name ‘All India Trinamool Congress’ and the ‘flower and grass’ symbol. Interim designations later gave Banerjee’s camp the name ‘Mamata All India Trinamool Congress’ and a football‑player logo, while the rival side received ‘Democratic Trinamool Congress’ and an envelope logo for the by‑elections in Nandigram and Rajarhat on October 6.
Banerjee continues to challenge the freeze, while the opposition maintains its claim. The Supreme Court will hear further submissions on September 28.