New Delhi [India]: The Supreme Court on Wednesday questioned Ajit Pawar faction of the NCP as to why the name of Sharad Pawar is being repeatedly used during the ongoing campaigning in Maharashtra for the upcoming assembly polls.
A bench of Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan asked Ajit Pawar faction of NCP that they have to fight the elections based on their separate identity and should not depend on Sharad Pawar’s name in the election fight.
It asked Ajit Pawar to instruct the members of his party to not use the pictures and videos of Sharad Pawar.
The bench also said that voters are wise enough to see through any confusion.
“You try to stand up on your legs, now that you have ideological difference with Sharad Pawar,” it said.
Earlier the top court had directed the Ajit-Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) to publish disclaimers in newspapers, including Marathi dailies, stating that the use of the ‘clock’ symbol by the NCP remains a sub-judice matter.
Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, representing the Sharad Pawar-led function, said Ajit Pawar faction was not complying with the top court order and it was continuing to piggybank on the veteran leader’s goodwill.
To this, the bench said people are wise enough to differentiate between Sharad and Ajit Pawar. “We should not underestimate voters also,” said the bench.
It said both sides should concentrate on their side of the battlefield. “People of this country are very wise and know how to vote and can differentiate who is Sharad and Ajit Pawar. Order of court should be faithfully complied with and respected. We are not sure if videos influence or not and how much,” said the bench.
The top court was hearing an application of the Sharad Pawar group alleging violation of the conditions by the Ajit Pawar faction.
On March 19, the top court allowed the Ajit Pawar faction to use the ‘clock’ symbol, with certain conditions, including that his party would issue a public declaration that the use of the ‘clock’ symbol for Lok Sabha and the Maharashtra Assembly Elections is sub-judice and subject to the outcome of the challenge made by the Sharad Pawar group to the decision of the ECI.
It had also asked the Ajit Pawar faction to not use the name and images of Sharad Pawar in its campaign materials.
Following a rift between the Sharad Pawar and the Ajit Pawar factions of the NCP, the Election Commission of India recognised the Ajit Pawar’s party as the real NCP based on its legislative majority and allotted the ‘clock’ symbol to it.
The top court had asked the Sharad Pawar faction to use the ‘Nationalist Congress Party-Sharad Chandra Pawar’s name for upcoming elections and the “man-blowing turha” symbol.
Earlier, the apex court had directed that the Election Commission’s order of February 7 allotting ‘Nationalist Congress Party-Sharadchandra Pawar’ as the party name for the Sharad Pawar faction will continue till further orders.