Kolkata, September 23, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
The Calcutta High Court on Wednesday sought a report from the Election Commission of India (ECI) on its decision to allot the ‘envelope’ election symbol to the Democratic Trinamool Congress, the faction led by Trinamool Congress rebel legislator Ritabrata Banerjee.
The matter was brought before Justice Krishna Rao by the All India Secular Front (AISF), which challenged the ECI’s decision to allot the symbol to the rival group. The court directed the poll panel to submit its report and fixed the matter for further hearing on Thursday.
The ECI had earlier frozen the original name and symbol of the Trinamool Congress as an interim measure amid a dispute between rival factions. It subsequently allotted separate names and symbols to the groups for the upcoming Assembly bypolls. The faction led by Ritabrata Banerjee was allotted the name ‘Democratic Trinamool Congress’ and the ‘envelope’ symbol.
The AISF, led in the West Bengal Assembly by Nawsad Siddique, was instead allotted the ‘almirah’ symbol. Siddique has been elected from the Bhangar Assembly constituency with the ‘envelope’ symbol in the past and the party challenged the ECI’s decision after raising objections before the poll panel.
During Wednesday’s hearing, the AISF questioned the ECI’s decision to allot the ‘envelope’ symbol to another political group, particularly as the front had used the symbol in recent elections. The party sought directions to prevent the symbol from being allotted to either side until the dispute was resolved.
The ECI, however, argued that the AISF is an unregistered political party and does not have the same right to retain an election symbol as a recognised political party. Its counsel said the ‘envelope’ symbol had been allotted to the AISF only for use in two elections.
The symbol dispute comes ahead of the October 6 Assembly bypolls in Nandigram and Rejinagar. The AISF has fielded a candidate in Nandigram, while the Democratic Trinamool Congress is also contesting in the bypolls.
The ECI’s September 17 interim order had barred both rival Trinamool groups from using the original ‘All India Trinamool Congress’ name and the reserved ‘Flowers and Grass’ symbol pending a substantive determination of the dispute under the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968.
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