The Supreme Court raised questions to the Ajit Pawar faction on Thursday, which has been formally recognized as the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) by the Election Commission of India, regarding the use of veteran leader Sharad Pawar’s photos for campaigning. Justices Surya Kant and KV Viswanathan suggested that the Ajit Pawar group refrain from using Sharad Pawar’s name and file an undertaking to that effect. They also advised using a different symbol than the ‘clock’ to avoid confusion.
The bench advised the Ajit Pawar faction to uphold their distinct political identity, stating, “You are a different political party now. You have chosen not to be with him. Now stick to this. Why use his (Sharad Pawar) picture… Go with your own identity now…”
The Supreme Court also issued a notice to the Ajit Pawar faction, seeking its response by Saturday on an application from the Sharad Pawar group concerning the alleged misuse of name and images for voter appeal. The court fixed the application for further hearing on March 19.
During the proceedings, senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, representing the Sharad Pawar faction, highlighted posters displayed by the Ajit Pawar faction featuring the ‘clock’ symbol and Sharad Pawar’s image, labeling it as “blatant patent deception.”
Responding to Singhvi’s arguments, the bench questioned why the Ajit Pawar faction was using Sharad Pawar’s photographs. In response, senior advocate Maninder Singh, representing the Ajit Pawar group, stated that the party was not responsible for such actions, attributing them to individual members.
The Supreme Court urged the Ajit Pawar faction to ensure that their members refrain from using Sharad Pawar’s photos and demanded an unequivocal undertaking to that effect. Additionally, the court recommended issuing public notices to establish the new identities of both factions.
Singhvi objected to the Election Commission’s decision to grant the ‘clock’ symbol to the Ajit Pawar group, arguing that a new symbol should have been allotted after the party split. The bench suggested using a different symbol, noting that the order regarding the ‘clock’ symbol was under challenge before the court.
Previously, the Supreme Court had directed that the Election Commission’s order allotting ‘Nationalist Congress Party-Sharad Chandra Pawar’ as the party name for the Sharad Pawar faction will continue until further orders.