Election Symbol Dispute

ISF Argues Symbol Change Threatens Election Performance

ISF counsel Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya told the court the party had already begun campaigning with the envelope symbol. He asked the court to prevent either party from using it, saying "Let them be given another symbol" instead. The ISF fears that giving the familiar envelope to the Banerjee faction will confuse voters and pull support away from their candidates.

ISF MLA Naushad Siddiqui said the party filed an objection with the Election Commission. He alleged that assigning the envelope to the rebel Trinamool faction could help it attract votes from ISF supporters who recognize the symbol. The timing matters: the by-elections are just weeks away, leaving little time for voters to learn a new party symbol.

Election Commission Says ISF Has No Right to Keep Symbol

The Election Commission argues that the ISF is an unrecognised party with no claim to the envelope. The Wire explained that the ISF received the symbol only temporarily under Paragraph 10B of the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968. This rule lets unrecognised parties use a common symbol even if they don't meet the vote or seat thresholds for a reserved symbol.

The commission says the ISF used the envelope for just two elections and has no right to retain it permanently. This temporary status, the commission argues, means the symbol can be reassigned. The ISF disputes this claim, pointing out it also used the envelope when fielding candidates through Bihar's Rashtriya Secular Majlis Party in 2021, showing a longer association with the symbol.

Trinamool Factional Fight Triggered Symbol Chaos

The envelope symbol dispute is a side effect of a bitter factional conflict within the Trinamool Congress. The Election Commission froze the party's name and reserved symbol to prevent either faction from claiming them exclusively. This forced both sides to accept new symbols for the by-elections.

Mamata Banerjee's faction received a new party name and the "Football Player" symbol. The rival Ritabrata Banerjee faction got a different name and the envelope. The ISF says it was caught in the crossfire without warning. NDTV reported that the Supreme Court has warned the Election Commission that delays in resolving factional disputes harm the electoral process.

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Court Defers Decision as Election Date Approaches

The Calcutta High Court has not yet ruled on the ISF's plea. The court deferred further proceedings after the Election Commission asked for more time to respond. With the by-elections just weeks away, the delay creates uncertainty for all three parties involved: the ISF, Mamata Banerjee's faction, and the rival Ritabrata Banerjee faction.