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ECI Freezes TMC Name and Symbol After Deep Factional Split

The freeze forces both camps to run October 6 bypolls under provisional identities and pushes disputes over funds and symbols into urgent court hearings.

Overview

  • The Election Commission issued an interim order that bars both rival groups from using the name “All India Trinamool Congress” and its reserved “Flowers & Grass” symbol while it studies which faction meets party-constitution and representative‑support tests.
  • The ECI assigned temporary identities for the October 6 bypolls, giving Mamata Banerjee’s camp the name 'Mamata All India Trinamool Congress' with a football‑player symbol and the rival group the name 'Democratic Trinamool Congress' with an envelope symbol.
  • Mamata Banerjee moved the Supreme Court seeking an urgent hearing of her challenge to the freeze, and the apex court agreed to list the petition for expedited consideration.
  • The Calcutta High Court preserved the Mamata faction’s conditional control of three party bank accounts until January 29, 2027, allowing limited day‑to‑day spending under a court‑appointed officer.
  • Smaller West Bengal parties that lost registered symbols to the ECI’s temporary allotments, notably the Indian Secular Front/AISF, have filed challenges in the Calcutta High Court arguing the reassignments will confuse voters and require review.