Delhi/Hyderabad, Sept 19 (Maxim News): Former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has moved the Supreme Court challenging the Election Commission’s interim decision to freeze the All India Trinamool Congress name and its ‘Flowers and Grass’ symbol amid a dispute between rival factions of the party.
The Election Commission on Thursday barred both factions from using the original party name and reserved symbol until it takes a substantive decision on the dispute. On Friday, the poll panel allotted separate names and symbols to the two groups for the upcoming West Bengal bypolls.
The Mamata Banerjee-led faction was allotted the name ‘Mamata All India Trinamool Congress’ and the ‘Football Player’ symbol. The rival faction led by Arup Roy was allotted the name ‘Democratic Trinamool Congress’ and the ‘Envelope’ symbol.
Mamata Challenges EC Order Ahead of Bengal Bypolls
In her Supreme Court petition, Banerjee has challenged the Election Commission’s interim order and named the poll panel and Ritabrata Banerjee, the Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly, as respondents. The plea comes ahead of the October 6 bypolls in Nandigram and Rejinagar.
The Election Commission said the dispute involved two rival groups, one led by Mamata Banerjee and the other by Arup Roy, with both claiming to represent the All India Trinamool Congress. It said the issue requires substantive determination under Paragraph 15 of the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968.
Banerjee had criticised the EC’s decision after the interim order, describing the freezing of the party’s traditional identity and symbol as a “black day” and saying she would continue to seek restoration of the original name and symbol.
The internal dispute follows a split within the TMC after its defeat in the 2026 West Bengal Assembly election. The rival factions have since made competing claims over the party’s organisational and legislative identity.
The Election Commission’s interim arrangement allows both groups to contest the upcoming bypolls under separate names and symbols while the substantive dispute remains pending.
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