The Supreme Court pulled up the Ajit Pawar camp on Thursday for allegedly exploiting the name and images of National Congress Party (NCP) founder Sharad Pawar in their campaigning efforts.
A bench comprising Justices Surya Kant and K V Viswanathan instructed the Ajit Pawar faction to submit a response by Saturday, questioning the rationale behind their continued use of Sharad Pawar’s image despite their separation.
The bench remarked that you are now a different political entity. You have opted not to align with him. So why are you using his picture? Move forward with your own identity now.
The bench further stated that they require a clear and unequivocal assurance that the name and images of Sharad Pawar will no longer be utilized.
The court scheduled further proceedings for March 19.
This judicial intervention came in response to an application filed by the Sharad Pawar group, alleging that the Ajit Pawar faction had been exploiting Sharad Pawar’s name and images to influence voters.
The split within the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) emerged following a rebellion led by Ajit Pawar, who successfully laid claim to the party’s name and symbol.
The Election Commission of India recognized the Ajit faction as the authentic NCP based on the “test of legislative majority.”
“The Ajit Pawar faction had the support of the majority of legislators. The commission determines that Ajit Pawar represents the Nationalist Congress Party and is authorized to utilize its name and the reserved symbol of ‘clock’,” the ECI order stated.
The electoral body assigned ‘Nationalist Congress Party-Sharadchandra Pawar’ as the party name for the Sharad Pawar faction.
Previously, the apex court had requested a response from the Ajit Pawar-led faction regarding a plea from Sharad Pawar against the February 6 order of the Election Commission recognizing the group led by the Maharashtra deputy chief minister as the legitimate Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).
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