The Supreme Court on April 4, 2024, directed Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Anantrao Pawar to neither defy nor deviate from its March 19 order to publish newspaper advertisements carrying disclaimers that a dispute with uncle Sharad Pawar over the allocation of Nationalist Congress Party’s original symbol ‘clock’ is still pending in the apex court.
The Bench of Justices Surya Kant and KV Viswanathan also made it clear that the faction headed by Sharad Pawar should not use the ‘clock’ symbol at any cost.
The court reiterated that Mr. Sharad Pawar’s group had been allotted a new name, Nationalist Congress Party-Sharadchandra Pawar and the ‘man blowing turha’ symbol. The Bench said he should ensure that his office bearers, workers and supporters stick to the new symbol and not revert to the ‘clock’ at any cost.
“The petitioner (Sharad Pawar) will also ensure that his party workers, office bearers or supporters do not act in defiance or deviation of our directions on March 19,” the court ordered.
The uncle, represented by senior advocate A.M. Singhvi, accused the nephew of “over smartness” by using his name and face to draw political capital and votes during the run-up to the Lok Sabha polls.
The nephew, represented by senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, accused his uncle in turn of using the clock symbol.
Faced with a hearing which saw both sides trade accusations, the Bench took on a conciliatory air, saying the fault may lay with stray party workers or supporters.
As the acrimonious hearing continued past lunch break, Justice Viswanathan, on a lighter note, said the clock was ticking and the court should be allowed to pass an order.
In its March 19 order, the Supreme Court had allowed Mr. Ajit Pawar, whose breakaway faction was recognised by the Election Commission as the ‘real’ Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), to continue to use the ‘clock’ symbol, subject to issuing declarations in multiple national and regional languages newspapers that the dispute over its allotment was sub judice in the apex court.
The same order saw the Bench do a balancing act by directing the Election Commission to allow Mr. Sharad Pawar’s faction to contest elections under its new party name and reserve for them the ‘man blowing turha’ symbol.
On Thursday, the court made it clear that it would not modify its March 19 order. Rather, the Bench said, the onus was on both leaders to ensure that their cadre did not break the law.
Both groups are locked in a legal battle in the Supreme Court over a February 6 order of the Election Commission recognising the Ajit Pawar group as the ‘real’ NCP. The main case is scheduled for hearing on May 14.
