Chief Justice Surya Kant, joined by Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V. Mohana, issued the order on Thursday, giving the Election Commission a three‑month window to settle the Trinamool Congress twin‑flower symbol contention.
The dispute erupted after the 2021 assembly elections, when the party fractured into two camps—Mamta Banerjee’s AITC‑Mamata and Ritabrata Banerjee’s AITC‑Democratic—each claiming legitimacy and the iconic twin‑flower emblem.
Earlier, the Commission had frozen the symbol and assigned temporary alternatives for the by‑polls in Nandigram and another constituency, citing the need for a six‑month deliberation; the bench rejected that timeline, insisting three months sufficed.
Under the new directive, both factions must file their evidence within four weeks; Mamata’s side now operates as Mamata All India Trinamool Congress with a football‑player symbol, while Ritabrata’s group is called Democratic Trinamool Congress and uses an envelope icon.
If the Commission encounters obstacles, it can petition the Supreme Court for further guidance; the final decision is due by December 30, 2026, after which the parties will either be legally bound to their new symbols or revert to the original twin‑flower.