Mamata Banerjee In Supreme Court: Mamata Banerjee challenged the decision of the Election Commission in the Supreme Court! Furious over freezing of TMC name and ‘Joda Phool’ symbol

After the historic breakdown in the organizational structure of Trinamool Congress (TMC) in West Bengal, the fight over the party’s name and election symbol has now reached the doorstep of the country’s biggest court (Supreme Court). The original name of the party ‘All India Trinamool Congress’ (AITC) and its traditional election symbol by the Election Commission of India (ECI) ‘Joda Phool’ (Flowers and Grass) Mamata Banerjee has challenged the interim order of freezing with immediate effect in the Supreme Court.

Mamata Banerjee has termed this step of the Election Commission as hasty, arbitrary and an attack on democratic rights. He has said in his petition that the identity of the original party which he had established with blood and sweat nearly three decades ago (in 1998) cannot be snatched away or frozen in one stroke on the basis of fake claims of any rebel group.

Two very important assembly seats of West Bengal-Nandigram And RejinagarBy-elections are to be held on 6 October 2026.

• Confrontation between two groups: After the internal rebellion in the party, the organization was divided into two clear factions – one faction was led by himself Mamata Banerjee While leading the other rebel group Arup Roy / Ritabrata Banerjee Is camping.

• Both claimed to be the real TMC: Both the groups filed petitions before the Election Commission calling themselves the ‘real Trinamool Congress’ and staked claim to contest the by-elections on the official symbol ‘Joda Phool’.

• Interim Arrangements of the Commission (Symbols Order 1968, Para 15): The Election Commission clarified that there was not enough time between the deadline for filing nominations to conduct a detailed legal investigation (substantive determination) of the party organisation, MPs, MLAs and the strength of office bearers. To keep both parties on an equal footing, the Commission temporarily sealed (froze) the main symbol and name.

The Election Commission has allotted separate interim names and free symbols to both the factions in view of the by-elections:

Reacting sharply to the Election Commission’s decision, Mamata Banerjee termed it a “black day” of Indian democracy and made serious allegations in the legal petition:

• Ignoring the rights of the founder: It has been argued in the petition that the party was established and registered under the leadership of Mamata Banerjee, hence freezing the original symbol merely on the complaint of some disgruntled leaders without proving any solid legislative majority is a violation of the principles of natural justice.

• Allegation of political pressure: Mamata alleged that this action has been taken deliberately at the behest of the ruling party at the Center to weaken her party and create confusion in the by-elections.

• Example of Shiv Sena and LJP dispute: Earlier, the Election Commission had also frozen the original symbol in the initial phase during the LJP (Chirag vs Pashupati) dispute in 2021 and Shiv Sena (Uddhav vs Shinde) dispute in 2022. Mamta camp demands that the Supreme Court should immediately stay this interim order and allow them to fight on the original name-symbol.

Amidst symbol freeze and increasing legal trouble, Mamata Banerjee has made a big political bet on Nandigram seat. He has announced that in order to defeat BJP and strengthen the ‘India’ block, his faction will withdraw its candidate from Nandigram seat and support the Congress candidate.

Now all eyes are on the top court of the country whether the Supreme Court intervenes in the interim freeze order of the Election Commission and gives relief to Mamata Banerjee or in this election riot of West Bengal, instead of ‘Joda Phool’, there will be a direct contest between ‘Football Player’ and ‘Envelope’.