Stand on your own legs: Supreme Court to NCP faction

New Delhi, Nov 13: In an exchange during a hearing on Wednesday, the Supreme Court asked the Ajit Pawar-led faction of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) to stop using the name and image of party founder Sharad Pawar in its election campaign as reported by Bar and Bench.

The Supreme Court bench, comprising Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan, emphasised that both sides should fight their own battles independently, highlighting the ideological rift between the two factions. The dispute stems from Sharad Pawar's claim that Ajit Pawar's faction has been causing "large-scale confusion" by using the NCP's iconic clock symbol without a disclaimer. The Sharad Pawar camp argues that this misleads voters into believing the two factions are still united.

Senior Advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, representing Sharad Pawar, contended that the Ajit Pawar-led group is "piggybacking on the goodwill of the veteran politician to sway voters in the ongoing Maharashtra Assembly campaign as reported by Bar and Bench.

Singhvi accused the Ajit Pawar faction of failing to comply with the court’s earlier directive, which required clear disclaimers in all advertisements and media content indicating that the use of the clock symbol is subject to a pending legal decision.

The court, while reviewing the arguments, remarked that voters are perceptive and capable of distinguishing between Sharad and Ajit Pawar. Justice Kant commented, “We cannot judge how voters think,” while Justice Bhuyan added, “We should not underestimate voters either.” However, the bench underscored the need for the Ajit Pawar faction to establish its distinct identity and refrain from relying on Sharad Pawar’s name in its campaign as reported by Bar and Bench.

Singhvi pointed to recent campaign videos posted by the Ajit Pawar faction, which included Sharad Pawar’s image, arguing this violated the Supreme Court's March 2024 order. The court had previously permitted Ajit Pawar’s group to use the clock symbol with a mandatory disclaimer clarifying its use is conditional upon the final ruling on the NCP’s leadership dispute.

In response, Senior Advocate Balbir Singh, representing Ajit Pawar, downplayed the issue by claiming that the videos were from an old Facebook page. However, the court was not satisfied, instructing the Ajit Pawar faction to ensure compliance across all media, both old and new. Justice Kant remarked, “You must ensure full compliance. You try to stand up on your own legs, now that you have an ideological difference with Sharad Pawar.”

The bench advised both factions to focus on their own campaigns and avoid creating confusion among voters. “The people of this country are very wise and know how to vote. They can differentiate between Sharad and Ajit Pawar,” the court observed, adding that compliance with its orders should be maintained out of respect for the judicial process.

The dispute over the use of the NCP’s clock symbol emerged following a split in the party, with the Election Commission recognising the Ajit Pawar faction as the official NCP. However, the Supreme Court allowed Ajit Pawar to retain the symbol conditionally, pending a final decision on which faction is the legitimate representative of the NCP.

Sharad Pawar’s faction was assigned the tutari (trumpet) symbol for the ongoing election campaigns. The legal battle reflects the deeper conflict between the two leaders, with the senior Pawar accusing his nephew of exploiting his political legacy.