The Supreme Court on Thursday (September 24, 2026) signalled that it was unlikely to stay the Election Commission’s interim freeze on the All India Trinamool Congress’s (AITC) ‘flowers and grass’ party symbol.

Mamata faction of Trinamool unveils new symbol of football player However, the Court directed the poll body to set a reasonable timeline to adjudicate the leadership dispute between former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Ritabrata Banerjee, who leads the rival camp of legislators.

“Find out how much time you would need for the final adjudication of the dispute after giving parties due representation and for you to also apply your mind.

We are not saying anything, but give a reasonable time, do not prolong,” Chief Justice of India Surya Kant told the Election Commission of India (EC) counsel, senior advocate Dama Seshadri Naidu.

Rival Trinamool factions get new names, symbols for October 6 bypolls The Court directed the EC to respond on Monday (September 28).

During the hearing, the Chief Justice referred to paragraph 39 of the EC’s interim order of September 17 which said that the freezing of the party symbol was necessary to place “both the rival groups on even keel and to protect their rights and interests”.

The EC had said that the interim order, passed under the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968, would be in operation during the current byelections and will continue till the final determination of the dispute over the party.

Mamata moves Supreme Court against EC’s freeze on Trinamool Congress symbol The poll body had said neither groups would use the name of the party ‘All India Trinamool Congress’ simpliciter nor avail the reserved party symbol of ‘flowers and grass’.

The EC had allotted new names and symbols to the two factions on September 18.

The Mamata faction was allotted the name ‘Mamata All India Trinamool Congress’ and the symbol ‘football player’, while the Ritabrata group was allotted the name ‘Democratic Trinamool Congress’ with the symbol ‘envelope’.

Senior advocate Kapil Sibal and advocate Abhinav Singh submitted that the EC deliberately delayed proceedings on the party dispute and has wrongly passed an interim order pat in the middle of the schedule for the Nandigram Assembly byelection due on October 6.

CJI says will ‘try’ to list Mamata’s plea against Trinamool symbol freeze this week “The intent behind this interim order is to leave me without a remedy… If you allow this order to continue, he [EC] will do it in the middle of every election.

In another election, in another State, he will do the same,” Mr.

Sibal submitted.

The Court expressed an objection to stay the interim order with Justice Joymalya Bagchi noting that symbols have already been allotted and candidates have filed nominations.

The Judge, however, said the court could look into whether the EC had recorded reasons extensively before passing the interim order of September 17.

“The solution in this case is to have the EC come to a final decision as quickly as possible,” the CJI observed Justice Bagchi remarked, “We know what happened to the Shiv Sena due to delay.” Shiv Sena had also gone through a split which ultimately led to Uddhav Thackeray stepping down as Maharashtra Chief Minister and losing both party symbol and name to rival Eknat Shinde, the current Deputy Chief Minister.

Mr.

Sibal said the Court should impose an October deadline on the EC to finally decide the dispute.

Senior advocates Mukul Rohatgi and Neeraj Kishan Kaul, appearing for the rival camp, said both rival parties need to cooperate for the EC to decide within a reasonable time.

They said the flux has to be resolved in the spirit of democracy.

“They (EC) have other work also,” Mr.

Rohatgi said.

“We know what other work they have…” Mr.

Sibal retorted.