MUMBAI: Hours after the Supreme Court’s 36-hour deadline, the Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) released a declaration in Marathi, Hindi and English languages on the use of the ‘Clock’ election symbol.
“The Election Commission of India has allotted the ‘Clock’ symbol to the Ajit Anandrao Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). The matter is presently sub judice before the Hon’ble Supreme Court, and subject to the final verdict, the Hon’ble Supreme Court in the interim has allowed the NCP to use the ‘Clock’ symbol for all ensuing elections, ” said the declaration released in newspapers on Thursday.
The NCP, which is contesting 56 Assembly seats in the Maharashtra elections, released its declaration after the Supreme Court on Wednesday set a 36-hour deadline for the same. The apex court during the hearing on Wednesday had observed that the NCP has not complied with its earlier order after the NCP-SP led by Sharad Pawar argued that the Ajit Pawar faction continues the use of the ‘Clock’ symbol without clarifying that the matter is sub judice saying that it was in violation of the court’s earlier order.
The Sharad Pawar faction, which has approached the apex court challenging the Election Commission’s move to award the ‘Clock’ symbol to the Ajit Pawar faction, has pleaded for the allotment of a new symbol to the rival group.
It is not just that the Ajit Pawar faction has released the declaration in the newspapers but the party has boldly inserted it in its banners and posters.
Interestingly, the front page advertisement released by the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena in national dailies, which includes election symbols of Shiv Sena, BJP and NCP, has also mentioned “Matter related to ‘Clock’ symbol of the NCP is sub judice in the Supreme Court.”