Both factions, led by former chief minister Mamata Banerjee and Ritabrata Banerjee respectively, have been barred from using the AITC name and the “flowers and grass” symbol in the October 6 bypolls in Nandigram and Rejinagar.
Published: September 17, 2026, 11:10 PM IST
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The Election Commission has banned both factions of TMC from using the party name and symbol
The Election Commission has asked both factions of the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) to stop using the party name and “Flowers and Grass” symbol for the West Bengal bypolls, and to submit new names and symbols by Friday morningThe Commission’s interim order, issued Thursday night after hearing leaders from the Mamata Banerjee and Ritabrata Banerjee-led factions, noted that the matter needs to be substantively decided under the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968.
“On due consideration of the totality of information available on record… the commission is of the opinion that there are two rival groups in the All India Trinamool Congress, one led by MsMamata Banerjee and the other led by Shri Arup Roy,” the interim order said“Each group is now claiming to be the party, and therefore the matter requires a substantive determination by the Commission under Para 15 of the Election Symbols (Reservation & Allotment) Order 1968,” it said.
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What did EC say?
The Commission said that, to place both the rival groups on an even keel and to protect their rights and interests, and going by the past precedent, the Commission gave its interim order to cover the purpose of the current by-elections and to continue till the final determination of the dispute in the matter.
“Neither of the two groups led by Shri Arup Roy (Petitioner) and the other led by MsMamata Banerjee (Respondent) shall be permitted to use the name of the party ‘All India Trinamool Congress’It further stated, “Neither of the two groups shall also be permitted to use the symbol ‘Flowers and Grass’, reserved for ‘All India Trinamool Congress’.”
The poll body said both the groups shall be known by such names as they may choose for their respective groups, and if they so desire, linkage with their parent party ‘All India Trinamool Congress’ and both the groups shall also be allotted such different symbols as they may choose from the list of free symbols notified by the EC for the purposes of the current by-elections.
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“Accordingly, both the groups are hereby directed to furnish, latest by 11:00 AM on 18.09.2026: The names of their groups by which they may be recognised by the commission and, to this end, give three options in order of preference, any one of which may be approved by the commission and the symbols which may be allotted to the candidates set up, if any, by the respective groups.
“They may indicate the names of three free symbols, in the order of their preference, any one of which may be allotted to their candidates by the commission,” the EC said.
Both the factions had presented their cases for claim on party name and symbol ahead of the October 6 bypolls in the Nandigram and Rejinagar Assembly constituencies of West Bengal.
