The Election Commission of India’s full bench will meet with the rebel faction of Trinamool Congress in the West Bengal Assembly, led by expelled legislator Ritabrata Banerjee. The meeting will focus on the faction’s claims regarding the party’s name and election symbol. A team of 10 legislators, including Banerjee, has already arrived in New Delhi for the meeting scheduled at noon on Thursday.
The Commission will also meet with a delegation from the minority faction supporting Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee. This faction will present its arguments on the party name and logo rights at a later stage. The rebel faction, led by Ritabrata, plans to base its argument on statistics to assert its rights over the party name and symbol.
Trinamool Congress currently has 80 legislators in the West Bengal Assembly, with 60 in the rebel camp and 20 in the minority camp. As per the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order of 1968, a regional party must have at least six percent of valid votes and two MLAs to retain the symbol. The rebel faction claims to have over 60 MLAs on their side, surpassing the required vote percentage comfortably.
The ‘original but minority’ faction, with only 20 MLAs, falls short of the required votes. A legal battle is also underway at the Calcutta High Court regarding this matter. All eyes are now on the upcoming meeting between the Election Commission’s full bench and the rebel faction’s delegation.
