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The Supreme Court of India has issued a significant directive to the Ajit Pawar faction of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), prohibiting them from utilizing images, videos, or photos of Sharad Pawar in the upcoming Maharashtra assembly elections. This ruling stems from the ongoing disputes between the two factions, which have been engaged in a legal battle for control of the party since a split in 2022.
The Court's decision emphasizes the need for the Ajit Pawar faction to establish its own identity and fight the election based on its own merits. Justice Surya Kant, during court proceedings, stressed that the faction must “stand up on its own legs” given the ideological differences between the two factions. The Court also reiterated its previous order to maintain separate identities for the factions, ahead of the November 20 election. Notably, the Court also warned against the use of artificial intelligence in a manner that could compromise the fairness of the electoral process.
The dispute between the two factions is rooted in the 2022 split within the NCP, which ultimately led to the Election Commission of India (ECI) recognizing the Ajit Pawar faction as the official NCP and granting it the 'clock' symbol. This decision was met with immediate resistance from Sharad Pawar's faction, leading to a protracted legal battle. In March 2023, the Supreme Court allowed the Ajit Pawar faction to use the ‘clock’ symbol, but only on the condition that the issue remain under judicial consideration. The Court, in April, further ordered Sharad Pawar's faction to use the name “NCP (Sharad Pawar)” and the trumpet symbol, while prohibiting the use of the ‘clock’ symbol by his supporters.
The latest ruling from the Supreme Court, prohibiting the Ajit Pawar faction from using Sharad Pawar's images in the upcoming elections, further intensifies the legal and political battle between the two factions. The Court's stance, however, is clear - both factions must fight the elections on their own merit and avoid any attempts to create a misleading image of unity. As the November 20 election approaches, the legal proceedings surrounding the NCP split continue to unfold, with far-reaching implications for the political landscape of Maharashtra.