In a new twist in the ongoing dispute over the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) election symbol, the Supreme Court on Wednesday issued a directive to the Ajit Pawar-led faction, instructing them to publish a disclaimer in newspapers, particularly in the Marathi language, within 36 hours. The court emphasized that the clock symbol issue remains subjudice, and the disclaimer must clearly convey this to avoid any confusion among voters and the public.
The court also expressed its frustration with the prolonged legal battle and urged both factions of the NCP to focus on gaining the support of voters rather than continuing with legal proceedings. As part of the order, the Ajit Pawar faction was asked to submit an affidavit confirming compliance with the instructions. The next hearing in the case is scheduled for November 13.
During the hearing, Ajit Pawar’s lawyer informed the court that they had already filed an undertaking indicating their adherence to previous orders and had published advertisements with new undertakings. However, the court raised concerns about the delay in issuing the disclaimer and reprimanded the faction for not promptly complying with the directive.
Ajit Pawar’s legal team hit back, accusing the Sharad Pawar faction of misleading the court by continuing to display videos with the clock symbol, despite earlier orders to remove them. Sharad Pawar’s lawyer, Abhishek Manu Singhvi, argued that while videos from Ajit Pawar’s faction had been taken down, videos on the ground still featured the clock symbol, thus breaching the court’s orders.
The Supreme Court clarified that while the Ajit Pawar faction is allowed to use the election symbol, they must strictly adhere to specific conditions, including the publication of the disclaimer. The court stressed that previous orders had been flouted repeatedly and demanded immediate compliance within the stipulated time frame. This ongoing legal tussle between the two factions of the NCP has further complicated the party’s internal dynamics as they prepare for upcoming elections.
