Mamata Banerjee Moves Supreme Court Against EC Freeze on Trinamool Congress Name, Symbol

VoM News Desk | September 18, 2026 | 11:02 PM IST | Breaking News, India, Politics | Follow on Google News

Mamata Banerjee Moves Supreme Court Against EC Freeze on Trinamool Congress Name, Symbol

NEW DELHI, September 18, 2026 [VoM News]: Former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has approached the Supreme Court challenging the Election Commission of India’s interim decision to freeze the name “All India Trinamool Congress” and its traditional “Flowers and Grass” election symbol amid an internal party dispute.

The Election Commission issued its interim order on September 17 after rival factions laid claim to the Trinamool Congress name and symbol. The factions are led by Mamata Banerjee and a rival camp associated with Ritabrata Banerjee and petitioner Arup Roy.

Under the order, neither faction was permitted to use the original All India Trinamool Congress name or its “Flowers and Grass” symbol for the upcoming West Bengal Assembly bypolls. Both camps were asked to submit preferences for separate names and free election symbols.

The Election Commission subsequently allotted Mamata Banerjee’s faction the name “Mamata All India Trinamool Congress” with a football player as its election symbol, while the rival faction received the name “Democratic Trinamool Congress” and an envelope symbol.

The political dispute also spilled into the high-profile Nandigram Assembly bypoll scheduled for October 6. Sanchita Pradhan Dey, the candidate fielded by the Mamata Banerjee faction, withdrew her candidature on Friday, hours after meeting West Bengal Chief Minister and sitting Nandigram MLA Suvendu Adhikari.

Following Dey’s withdrawal, Mamata Banerjee announced support for Congress candidate Milan Pradhan in the Nandigram bypoll. Pradhan was arrested later on Friday in connection with an alleged murder case dating back to the 2007 Nandigram anti-land acquisition movement.

The developments have placed the Trinamool Congress name and symbol dispute, Mamata Banerjee’s Supreme Court challenge and the Nandigram bypoll at the centre of West Bengal politics ahead of the October elections.

VoM News Desk

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