NCP Dispute : Sharad Pawar Approaches Supreme Court To Restrain Ajit Pawar Group From Using 'Clock' Symbol In Maharashtra Polls

The founder of the Nationalist Congress Party(NCP), Sharad Pawar, has filed an application seeking to restrain the NCP(Ajit Pawar) from using the 'clock' symbol in the upcoming Maharashtra Assembly Elections. It urged the Supreme Court to direct the Ajit Pawar group to apply to the Election Commisison of India for a new symbol.

Following the rift in the NCP between the Sharad Pawar and the Ajit Pawar factions, the Election Commission of India had recognized the latter as the official NCP based on its legislative majority and allotted the 'clock' symbol (the original symbol of the united NCP) to it. The Sharad Pawar group appealed to the Supreme Court challenging the ECI decision.

In March, ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, the Supreme Court had directed the Ajit Pawar group to publicise in its campaign materials that the use of the 'clock' symbol was sub-judicie. The bench also asked the Ajit Pawar faction to not use the name and images of Sharad Pawar in its campaign materials. The Sharad Pawar group was asked to use the symbol 'man blowing trumpet' which was allotted to it by the ECI.

Now, ahead of the Maharashtra Vidhan Sabha elections, the senior Pawar has filed another application seeking a direction that the junior Pawar faction should use a symbol other than the 'clock'. Sharad Pawar said that the use of the 'clock' symbol by the rival group caused confusion amongst the voters during the recent Lok Sabha elections, as a result of which NCP (Sharad Pawar) suffered losses. Such confusion would be having a greater impact in the Assembly Election due to the "relatively smaller size of the constituencies", it said.

“Issue directions to Respondent No. 1(Ajjit Pawar) to apply for a fresh symbol for the limited purpose of contesting the upcoming Maharashtra Vidhan Sabha elections during the pendency of the captioned matter,” said the application. 

A bench comprising Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan will hear the matter on October 15.

During a hearing of the appeal in March, the Court had orally questioned the basis of the ECI's decision to accept Ajit Pawar group as the official NCP applying the test of legislative majority. The Court orally said that such an approach could encourage defections and make a mockery of the voters' choices. 

Case Title: Sharad Pawar v. Ajit Anantrao Pawar & Anr. | Special Leave Petition (Civil) No. 4248 of 2024