Supreme Court requested both Sharad Pawar and Ajit Pawar factions of the Nationalist Congress Party to follow its directives issued regarding the use of symbols, party names, and disclaimers in publicity material for the assembly and general polls. The statement of the apex court comes after both the factions filed non-compliance applications of its March 19 order.
It is high time that the leaders of both factions should be somewhere else and not courts, SC stated.
SC had directed the Sharad Pawar faction to sensitise party workers on using the name 'Nationalist Congress Party-Sharadchandra Pawar' and the symbol 'man blowing turha' (a traditional trumpet also known as tutari) in poll campaigns.
It further directed that the faction led by the veteran leader to ask their party workers, leaders, office bearers, and lawmakers not to use the ‘clock’ symbol in poll advertisements, which has been allotted to the Ajit Pawar-led bloc of the NCP.
Similarly, it asked the Ajit Pawar faction to issue bigger and more prominent advertisements in newspapers saying the allocation of the 'clock' symbol to it is sub-judice, as was directed in the apex court's March 19 order.
The bench refused to modify its directions issued in the March 19 order as sought by the Ajit Pawar-led bloc and said there appears to be no necessity. On March 19, the top court allowed the Sharad Pawar faction to use 'Nationalist Congress Party-Sharadchandra Pawar' as its name for the Lok Sabha and assembly polls.
The top court had directed the Ajit Pawar-led faction to issue a public notice in the newspapers in English, Hindi, and Marathi editions notifying that the allocation of the 'clock' symbol is sub-judice before this court and the respondent has been permitted to use the same subject to the outcome of these proceedings.
"Such a declaration shall be incorporated in every pamphlet, advertisement, audio or video clip to be issued by the respondent (NCP) political party," the top court had said.
Follow us
