‘Stand up on your own legs’: Supreme Court schools Ajit Pawar’s NCP for using Sharad Pawar’s photos, videos

Maharashtra Elections: The Supreme Court has directed the Ajit Pawar faction of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) to refrain from using the images, videos, or photos of Sharad Pawar in the upcoming Maharashtra assembly elections. This follows ongoing disputes between the two factions.

Supreme Court's Directions to Ajit Pawar's Faction

During proceedings, Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan highlighted that the Ajit Pawar faction must fight the election on its own merits.

Justice Kant emphasised, “Whether or not it is an old video, with Mr Pawar you have an ideological difference and you are fighting against him. Then you should try to stand up on your own legs." Live Law quoted.

The Court also reiterated its previous order to maintain separate identities for the factions, ahead of the November 20 election. It further warned against using artificial intelligence in any way that might undermine the fairness of the election process.

What Sharad Pawar alleges?

Senior Advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, representing Sharad Pawar, presented evidence in court showing alleged violations of the Supreme Court’s order, including photos of posters and social media posts featuring only Sharad Pawar.

Singhvi argued that Ajit Pawar's faction, particularly candidate Amol Mitkari, was attempting to "piggyback" on the senior Pawar's reputation.

Justice Surya Kant questioned, “Do you think the people of Maharashtra don’t know about the rift?”

In response, Senior Advocate Balbir Singh, representing Ajit Pawar, denied the allegations, claiming the materials were "doctored."

Singhvi countered that the video in question had been posted from Mitkari’s official social media handle, emphasising that the attempt by Ajit Pawar’s faction was to create a misleading image of unity within the Pawar family, particularly in the 36 constituencies where the factions are directly competing.

Ongoing Legal Battle Over NCP Symbol

The conflict between the two factions dates back to 2022, after a split in the NCP. The Election Commission of India (ECI) recognised the Ajit Pawar faction as the official NCP and granted it the 'clock' symbol. This decision was contested by Sharad Pawar’s faction, leading to an ongoing legal battle.

In March, the Supreme Court allowed the Ajit Pawar faction to use the ‘clock’ symbol under the condition that the issue remains sub-judice.

In April, the Court ordered the Sharad Pawar faction to use the name “NCP (Sharad Pawar)” and the trumpet symbol, prohibiting the use of the ‘clock’ symbol by Sharad Pawar's supporters.

Sharad Pawar's faction has now requested the Court to direct the Ajit Pawar faction to choose a different symbol for the upcoming elections, continuing the legal showdown.