NCP releases declaration on ‘Clock’ symbol following Supreme Court’s directive

Symbol allotted to the Ajit Pawar faction by ECI is still under judicial review

In compliance with the Supreme Court‘s 36-hour deadline, the Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) on Thursday published a declaration in major newspapers in Marathi, Hindi, and English, clarifying the use of its ‘Clock’ election symbol.

The declaration explicitly stated that the symbol, which was allotted to the Ajit Pawar faction by the Election Commission of India, is still under judicial review and subject to the final verdict of the Supreme Court.

“The Election Commission of India has allotted the ‘Clock’ symbol to the Ajit Anandrao Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). The matter is presently sub judice before the Hon’ble Supreme Court, and subject to the final verdict, the Hon’ble Supreme Court in the interim has allowed the NCP to use the ‘Clock’ symbol for all ensuing elections,” the declaration read.

This move came after the Supreme Court set a 36-hour deadline for the NCP to issue the public notice, following a hearing on Wednesday. The court had observed that the NCP had failed to comply with its earlier direction to clarify that the use of the ‘Clock’ symbol is pending in the Supreme Court.

The Sharad Pawar-led faction of the NCP, which is challenging the Election Commission’s decision to allocate the ‘Clock’ symbol to the Ajit Pawar faction, had raised concerns that the continued use of the symbol without such a disclaimer was in violation of the court’s earlier orders.

The declaration was not only published in newspapers but also prominently displayed in the Ajit Pawar faction’s banners and posters, signaling their continued use of the symbol despite the ongoing legal dispute.

The Sharad Pawar faction, which has approached the Supreme Court seeking the allotment of a new election symbol for Ajit Pawar’s group, has argued that the symbol’s use should be restricted until the final verdict is delivered.

Interestingly, the matter of the ‘Clock’ symbol was also referenced in a front-page advertisement released by the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena in national dailies. The advertisement, which included the election symbols of Shiv Sena, BJP, and NCP, mentioned that the issue surrounding the ‘Clock’ symbol was sub judice in the Supreme Court, in an effort to preempt any potential legal issues during the election campaign.

The legal tussle between the two factions of the NCP has become a major point of contention in Maharashtra’s ongoing electoral battle, with both sides vying for the political recognition and support of the state’s electorate.

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