The Supreme Court has taken a firm stance against the Ajit Pawar faction for allegedly using the name and images of National Congress Party (NCP) founder Sharad Pawar in their campaigning activities, despite the split between the two factions.
During a hearing on Thursday, a bench comprising Justices Surya Kant and K V Viswanathan questioned the Ajit Pawar camp’s decision to continue using Sharad Pawar image, despite the division within the party. The bench directed the faction to respond to the matter by Saturday and emphasized the importance of respecting their separate identities.
The court firmly stated, “You are a different political party now. You have chosen not to be with him. So why use his picture… Go with your own identity now.” It further demanded a clear and unconditional undertaking from the Ajit Pawar faction that they would refrain from using Sharad Pawar’s name and pictures in their campaigning.
The judicial intervention came after an application filed by the Sharad Pawar group, alleging misuse of Sharad Pawar’s name and images by the Ajit Pawar faction to influence voters.
The split within the NCP occurred following a rebellion led by Ajit Pawar, who successfully claimed the party’s name and symbol based on the “test of legislative majority” recognized by the Election Commission of India.
While the ECI recognized the Ajit faction as the legitimate NCP, assigning them the party name and symbol, the Sharad Pawar faction was designated as ‘Nationalist Congress Party-Sharadchandra Pawar.
The Supreme Court’s intervention highlights the ongoing legal battle between the two factions and underscores the need for clarity and adherence to electoral regulations. Further hearings on the matter are scheduled for March 19.
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