In a significant development ahead of the Maharashtra Assembly elections, the Supreme Court on Wednesday directed the Ajit Pawar faction of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) to publish a disclaimer in its advertisements regarding the use of the “clock” symbol. The court’s interim order requires the faction, which has been recognized by the Election Commission as the “real” NCP, to clearly state that the symbol allocation is currently sub judice and subject to the outcome of pending proceedings in the top court.
A bench, led by Justice Surya Kant, instructed the Ajit Pawar camp to ensure that the disclaimer is prominently displayed in newspapers, including in Marathi, within the next 36 hours. This order comes after the Sharad Pawar faction raised concerns over the use of the clock symbol and sought a temporary allocation of a new symbol for the upcoming elections.
The Supreme Court expressed dissatisfaction over the delay in publishing the required disclaimer in newspapers and reiterated the importance of adhering to its directives. The court had previously ordered both factions of the NCP to strictly comply with its March 19 interim direction, which specified that the clock symbol, reserved for the NCP, was subject to the final outcome of the ongoing legal proceedings.
During earlier hearings, the Supreme Court emphasized that the disclaimer should be incorporated in all pamphlets, advertisements, and any media content issued by the Ajit Pawar-led faction, and made clear that the usage of the clock symbol would depend on the resolution of the case. This included public notices in English, Marathi, and Hindi editions to ensure widespread awareness of the matter.
In addition to this, the Court had clarified that the Sharad Pawar-led NCP, which uses the “Man Blowing Turha” symbol, would also comply with the ruling and refrain from using the clock symbol. It further instructed the Ajit Pawar faction to educate its workers, office-bearers, and candidates about the necessity to respect the top court’s orders.
The ongoing legal battle between the two factions of the NCP has intensified in the lead-up to the state elections, with the Sharad Pawar camp filing a petition demanding the disqualification of Ajit Pawar faction MLAs for allegedly defecting to the Sena-BJP government.
The latest Supreme Court order underscores the complexity of the symbol dispute and highlights the importance of strict adherence to judicial directions in maintaining political and electoral integrity ahead of the crucial elections.
