A three-member bench of CJI Surya Kant and justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana was hearing a plea challenging ECI’s interim decision freezing the use of the original party name and its ‘flowers and grass’ symbol.
The bench made it clear that while the rival sides must be given a fair opportunity to present their evidence, the adjudication cannot be allowed to continue indefinitely. It directed the parties to complete their pleadings in four weeks and gave ECI three months to decide the dispute.
The counsel for ECI requested that six months be allowed. However, the bench turned down the request. “Three months is good enough,” said Justice Bagchi. “It is very difficult,” ECI’s counsel insisted. Refusing to accept the request, the bench replied: “If some extreme exigency arises, come before us.”
The dispute assumes significance with the West Bengal assembly byelections to Nandigram and Rejinagar scheduled for October 6. ECI’s interim arrangement prevents both factions from using the original party name and symbol for the byelections.
The court said that the byelections could not be disturbed at this stage, particularly after candidates had filed their nominations and alternative names and symbols had been allotted.
