EC seeks responses from NCP factions by Aug 17

The Pawar-led NCP had decided not to approach the EC until it took cognisance of the claims made by the rebel group and sought a response. Maharashtra NCP chief Jayant Patil neither refuted nor accepted that the party had received any notice from the EC

MUMBAI: Following the Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party’s (NCP) petition claiming the party name and election symbol on June 30, the Election Commission (EC) has now decided to take up the matter. On Wednesday, it issued a notice on the matter and sought details from both NCP factions by August 17.

Pune, India - October 29, 2018: Nationalist Congress Party leaders Ajit Pawar and Sharad Pawar at the samvidhan bachao (save the Constitution) rally organised at Ganesh Kala Krida Manch on Monday. in Pune, India, on Monday, October 29, 2018. (Photo by Rahul Raut/HT PHOTO)

Along with the petition, the EC also had received affidavits from 40 MPs, MLAs and MLCs and a resolution passed by rebel faction members that they had elected Ajit Pawar as the NCP president. The documents were officially received by the EC on July 5.

The Pawar-led NCP had decided not to approach the EC until it took cognisance of the claims made by the rebel group and sought a response. Maharashtra NCP chief Jayant Patil neither refuted nor accepted that the party had received any notice from the EC. “I too have heard about this notice but have not seen it personally,” he said in response to a query.

On July 3, the Pawar-led NCP moved a disqualification motion against nine MLAs, including Ajit Pawar, who were inducted as ministers into the coalition government. A copy of this was sent to the EC. On July 6, the Pawar faction decided to expel all the nine MLAs, along with working president Praful Patel and general secretary Sunil Tatkare. The decision was taken in the working committee of the party held in Delhi.

A year ago, the EC handled a similar case when there was a split in the united Shiv Sena following a rebellion by the Eknath Shinde-led rebel faction. In the beginning, the commission froze the election symbol till the matter was finally decided, and in February this year recognised the Eknath Shinde-led group as the official Shiv Sena by allowing it to use the original name of the party and keep its original election symbol, the bow and arrow. The order was challenged in the Supreme Court and is still pending.