New Delhi/Kolkata: The Election Commission has temporarily barred both rival factions of the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) from using the party’s name and its reserved “Flowers & Grass” election symbol in the upcoming West Bengal Assembly bypolls.

The interim order comes amid an internal dispute over which faction represents the original Trinamool Congress. The two factions are associated with Mamata Banerjee and the rival camp led by Arup Roy. The Election Commission said the dispute requires a substantive determination under Paragraph 15 of the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968.

Mamata camp submits alternatives

Following the EC order, the Mamata Banerjee-led faction submitted its preferred alternative names and election symbols to the poll panel late Thursday night. According to reports, the choices were emailed to the EC at 11:36 pm, ahead of the Friday morning deadline, and were submitted “under strongest protest.”

The EC had directed both factions to submit three names and three symbols, in order of preference. The alternative symbols have to be selected from the EC’s list of free symbols available to independent candidates and registered unrecognised political parties.

#BreakingNews| West Bengal : TMC camps offers alternative names, symbols to Election Commission.@Arunima24 shares more details.#TMC #WestBengal #MamtaBanarjee oo pic.twitter.com/Xyi9tlBBZ9

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Decision linked to October 6 bypolls

The temporary arrangement has been put in place ahead of the October 6 Assembly bypolls in Nandigram and Rejinagar. Both factions have fielded candidates in the constituencies, creating an immediate requirement for the poll panel to determine the names and symbols under which they will contest.

The Election Commission said there was insufficient time to complete the full proceedings under Paragraph 15 before the bypolls. It therefore decided on an interim arrangement, with the freeze on the original party name and symbol continuing until the dispute is finally determined.

What the EC order means

The order does not represent a final determination on which faction is entitled to represent the All India Trinamool Congress. Instead, both groups have been temporarily placed under separate names and symbols for the upcoming bypolls.

The EC’s formal list identifies All India Trinamool Congress with the Flowers & Grass symbol.

The development marks an unusual phase for the party founded by Mamata Banerjee, with its established name and election symbol temporarily unavailable to both sides while the poll panel considers their competing claims.

The final decision on the party’s identity and reserved symbol will be taken separately under the applicable provisions of the Election Symbols Order.