Veteran Maharashtra politician Sharad Pawar has moved the Supreme Court alleging that the Ajit Pawar faction of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) has failed to comply with an earlier court order to publish disclaimers in advertisements and public notices that the clock symbol allocated to Ajit Pawar faction was still subject to judicial scrutiny.The matter was mentioned by Senior Advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi before a bench of Justices Surya Kant and KV Viswanathan.Singhvi expressed concern over the non-compliance and highlighted that instead of adhering to the court's order, Ajit Pawar's faction has filed an application seeking relaxation of the order.He said that the elections are fast approaching and"In the middle of the elections it cannot be changed like this," he emphasized.However, Senior Advocate Mukul Rohatgi, representing Ajit Pawar, argued that it would be incorrect to claim that the Supreme Court had decided the matter. He requested a modification to the last line of the previous court order.As per the last line of the previous court order, the declaration that the matter was sub-judice was to be incorporated in every pamphlet, advertisement, audio, or video clips to be issued on behalf of the respondents.In response, the Supreme Court dismissed the request for modification and asserted that the order must remain in force until the conclusion of the polls."No, this has to continue till polls conclude. Nobody can misconstrue our order," the Court made it clear.The Court sought details of ads issued so far, and said that it would later take a call on listing of Sharad Pawar's plea.By way of background, the NCP had split into two factions in July 2023, after a rebellion by the Ajit Pawar group.The Ajit Pawar faction currently supports the ruling Eknath Shinde government in Maharashtra.When the dispute as to who the real NCP was (Sharad Pawar faction or Ajit Pawar faction) reached the ECI, the poll body found that the total number of NCP MLAs in Maharashtra State assembly stood at 81. Out of this, Ajit Pawar submitted affidavits of 57 MLAs in his support while Sharad Pawar had only 28 affidavits.Therefore, the ECI proceeded to hold that the faction led by Ajit Pawar was the real NCP.This was challenged before the Supreme Court by his uncle, Sharad Pawar.On March 19, The apex court permitted the Ajit Pawar faction of the NCP to use the party's clock symbol for the upcoming parliamentary and Maharashtra State elections, albeit with certain conditions.A bench of Justices Surya Kant and KV Viswanathan said that the Ajit Pawar faction could use the clock symbol after issuing a public notice that the said allocation was subject to the apex court's final say on the matter.The Court further directed incorporation of such a disclaimer in every template advertisement and audio and video clips to be issued on behalf this faction of the NCP.Sharad Pawar has now moved the Court claiming that the Ajit Pawar faction was not carrying such disclaimers and has also sought modification of that direction.
TAGS: Maharashtra politician Sharad Pawar Supreme Court Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) Ajit Pawar faction compliance
