Maharashtra Assembly polls: Supreme Court advises the Pawars to comply with its directives

A three-judge Bench headed by Justice Surya Kant extended the ambit of its earlier orders to Maharashtra Assembly elections scheduled for November 20

The Supreme Court on Thursday (October 24, 2024) directed Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar to “meticulously comply” with its earlier directions to inform voters that his hold over the Nationalist Congress Party’s (NCP) “clock” symbol hinged on the outcome of a pending dispute with his uncle and political rival Sharad Pawar, whose photos he was barred from using in his poll campaigns.

The Supreme Court had issued these directions in two successive orders on March 19 and April 4 in the run-up to the General Elections 2024. The April 4 order had also directed Mr. Sharad Pawar to ensure that his workers and supporters did not use the ‘clock’ symbol as an “act of defiance”. 

On Thursday, a three-judge Bench headed by Justice Surya Kant extended the ambit of these orders to the Maharashtra Assembly elections, scheduled for November 20.

These orders had come about when the elder Pawar’s camp had approached the apex court ahead of the national polls, complaining that Mr. Ajit Pawar was sowing confusion among the electorate by identifying his campaign with that of his uncle.

Mr. Ajit Pawar and NCP founder and patriarch Mr. Sharad Pawar had parted ways in the months before the General Elections. The younger Pawar had subsequently joined the Eknath Shinde-Devendra Fadnavis government. The Election Commission had recognised his faction as the “real” NCP and allotted them the party’s original symbol of ‘clock’.

Explained | Who gets the preferred symbol when there are two factions?

Mr. Sharad Pawar had appealed the Election Commission decision in the Supreme Court. The court had intervened to allow his camp to contest under the name ‘Nationalist Congress Party-Sharadchandra Pawar’ and the symbol of the ‘man blowing turha’.

In back-to-back orders on March 19 and April, the apex court barred Mr. Ajit Pawar from displaying his uncle’s photos on his poll banners and posters. It further directed Mr. Ajit Pawar to inform the electorate that the allotment of the ‘clock’ symbol to him was under contest in the Supreme Court.

“We will reiterate the directions in these two orders of March 19 and April 4,” Justice Kant addressed senior advocate Balbir Singh, appearing for Mr. Ajit Pawar.

Senior advocate A.M. Singhvi, appearing for the elder Pawar, said his nephew was “riding piggyback” on him again.

The court directed Mr. Singh to have his client file an undertaking that he would abide by the directions issued on March 19 and April 4.

“We expect both sides to comply with our directions. Do not create any embarrassing situations for yourselves. If we find there was a deliberate attempt to violate our orders, we can initiate suo motu contempt action,” Justice Kant said.

Mr. Singh urged the court to direct “both parties”, not just his client, to file undertakings.

However, Justice Kant, accompanied by Justices Dipankar Datta and Ujjal Bhuyyan on the Bench, dismissed the request, saying Mr. Ajit Pawar had not accused Mr. Sharad Pawar of any violations to invite such an order.

The court said any “deliberate attempt” to breach its directions would be viewed sternly. The case was listed next on November 6.

Published - October 24, 2024 04:09 pm IST