India's Supreme Court on Monday directed the Election Commission of India (ECI) to resolve a dispute over the leadership, name, and election symbol of the Trinamool Congress within three months. The ruling, delivered on September 28, 2026, also granted the rival factions four weeks to submit their pleadings to the poll body, according to The Hindu.

A three-judge Bench, led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, issued the directive. The dispute involves former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Ritabrata Banerjee, who leads a rival group of legislators, The Hindu reported. The court specified that the three-month period for the ECI to "decide the controversy" would commence after the factions complete their submissions.

The Supreme Court declined requests for more time from both the ECI and Ritabrata Banerjee's faction. Senior advocate D.S. Naidu, representing the ECI, had asked for at least five or six months to resolve the matter, but the court maintained the three-month window. Justice Joymalya Bagchi, a member of the Bench, told Mr. Naidu that the ECI could approach the court in "extreme exigencies," according to The Hindu. Mr. Naidu stated that the ECI would make "every endeavour" to meet the court's stipulated timeframe, noting that its resources were stretched due to upcoming elections in five states, some of which he described as "big."

Similarly, senior advocate Neeraj Kishan Kaul, appearing for Mr. Ritabrata Banerjee's faction, requested six weeks to file their pleadings, but this was also denied, with the court upholding the four-week deadline. Senior advocates Kapil Sibal and Kalyan Banerjee, representing Ms. Mamata Banerjee, stated that their client had already filed responses to the ECI's notice in the dispute in July. Mr. Sibal also remarked that Mr. Ritabrata Banerjee's faction was "yet to file, and delaying," The Hindu reported.

Background to the Dispute

The Supreme Court's directive follows an interim stay order issued by the ECI on September 17, which froze the 'flowers and grass' party symbol of the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC). This interim order was central to the leadership dispute between the two factions, according to The Hindu.

During a previous hearing, the Supreme Court had indicated it was unlikely to overturn the ECI's interim stay order. Instead, it had asked the poll body to propose a reasonable timeline for adjudicating the leadership dispute. Chief Justice Kant had referenced paragraph 39 of the ECI's order, which concluded that freezing the party symbol was necessary "to place both the rival groups on even keel and to protect their rights and interests," The Hindu reported.

The ECI's interim order, issued under the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968, stipulated that neither faction could use the name 'All India Trinamool Congress' (AITC) nor avail themselves of its reserved 'flowers and grass' symbol. This order was to remain in effect during ongoing by-elections and until a final determination of the dispute.

Following the interim order, the ECI allotted new names and symbols to the two factions on September 18. Ms. Mamata Banerjee's faction was assigned the name 'Mamata All India Trinamool Congress' and the 'football player' as its symbol. Mr. Ritabrata Banerjee's group received the name 'Democratic Trinamool Congress' with the 'envelope' symbol, according to The Hindu.

The Congress party has publicly backed Mamata Banerjee in this dispute, The Hindu reported.

Implications and Next Steps

The Supreme Court's decision sets a clear, albeit tight, schedule for the resolution of the contentious dispute, which has significant implications for political representation in West Bengal. The ECI now faces the challenge of concluding the proceedings within the three-month timeframe, despite its expressed concerns about resource allocation due to other electoral commitments.

The rival factions have a limited window of four weeks to present all their arguments and evidence to the ECI. The outcome of the ECI's final determination will decide which faction officially controls the Trinamool Congress's legacy, name, and symbols, shaping the political landscape ahead of future elections.