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The Supreme Court on Thursday told the Ajit Pawar faction of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) to file a fresh undertaking that the apex court's earlier order on the use of the 'clock' symbol by it will be meticulously complied with for the state Assembly elections.
On March 19, the top court allowed the Ajit Pawar faction to use the 'clock' symbol, with certain conditions, including that his party would issue a public declaration that the use of the 'clock' symbol for Lok Sabha 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 ECI. It had also asked the Ajit Pawar faction to not use the name and images of Sharad Pawar in its campaign materials. A bench of Justices Surya Kant, Dipankar Datta, and Ujjal Bhuyan on Thursday, also issued notice on an application filed by the Sharad Pawar group alleging violation of the conditions by the Ajit Pawar faction. Hearing the case, the bench asked Ajit Pawar's faction to file a reply along with an undertaking that directions in the previous orders "shall be meticulously complied with, even during the process of state assembly elections." It warned that it would initiate suo motu contempt if its orders were violated and posted the matter for hearing on November 6. Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi appearing for the Sharad Pawar faction alleged that the Ajit Pawar group of NCP is not displaying the requisite disclaimer in their campaign materials. He added that as they have not complied with the conditions imposed by the court, they should be restrained from using the 'clock' symbol. Senior advocate Balbir Singh, representing Ajit Pawar group, refuted the other side's claim and said that all pamphlets and campaign materials had disclaimers. "Once we have issued a direction, it has to be complied with. You file a response and a fresh undertaking that in the past also you have not violated...and in the future, you won't violate...We expect both sides to comply with our directions. Don't create an embarrassing situation for yourselves. If we find there is a deliberate attempt to violate our order, we can initiate suo motu contempt," said the bench. Following a rift between the Sharad Pawar and the Ajit Pawar factions of the NCP, the Election Commission of India recognized the Ajit Pawar's party as the real NCP based on its legislative majority and allotted the 'clock' symbol to it. The top court had asked the Sharad Pawar faction to use the 'Nationalist Congress Party-Sharad Chandra Pawar's name for upcoming elections and the "man-blowing turha" symbol. Earlier, the apex court had directed that the Election Commission's order of February 7 allotting 'Nationalist Congress Party-Sharadchandra Pawar' as the party name for the Sharad Pawar faction will continue till further orders. (ANI)
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