SC seeks Ajit Pawar faction's response on plea challenging Speaker's recognition of it as 'real NCP'

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Synopsis

The Election Commission's decision to grant the clock party symbol to Ajit Pawar has also been challenged before the Supreme Court in another petition

The Supreme Court has issued notice today on the plea filed by the Sharad Pawar led faction challenging the Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar's decision to recognize the Ajit Pawar-led faction as the legitimate Nationalist Congress Party (NCP)

With this decision, the Speaker had dismissed all disqualification petitions against both the Sharad Pawar faction and the Ajit Pawar faction.

A CJI DY Chandrachud led bench has said it would be hearing these petitions along with the petitions filed by Uddhav Thackeray faction challenging the Speaker decision in favour of Eknath Shinde's camp.

Notably, the Bombay High Court has also issued notice in the petition filed by the Ajit Pawar’s faction challenging the Maharashtra Assembly Speaker’s decision not to disqualify the 10 MLAs of Sharad Pawar Faction.

Anil Patil, chief whip of the Ajit Pawar Faction, has challenged the February 15 order of the Maharashtra Assembly Speaker.

The Speaker’s order came after the split in the party in July 2023, with Ajit Pawar's faction joining the Eknath Shinde-led government.

Subsequently, Sharad Pawar filed disqualification petitions against the Ajit Pawar faction. In response, cross-petitions were filed by the Ajit Pawar faction seeking the disqualification of the Sharad Pawar faction

The Election Commission has also recently ruled in favour of the Ajit Pawar Faction and allowed them to use the ‘clock’ symbol of NCP.

Sharad Pawar’s plea challenging the ECI’s order is pending before the top court

Case Title: Jayant Patil vs. Ajit Pawar