CJI says he will “try” to take up Mamata’s plea against freezing of TMC symbols this week

Former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. File | Photo credit: ANI

The Supreme Court on Monday (September 21, 2026) agreed to hear a petition filed by former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee against the Election Commission’s decision to freeze the party symbol of the Trinamool Congress.

Appearing before Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, who heads a three-judge bench, senior advocate Kapil Sibal, representing Ms Banerjee, orally mentioned that the Election Commission’s interim order to freeze the symbol, even as proceedings under the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Ordinance, 1968, was without merit.

“The Election Commission is breaking new milestones every time,” Mr. Sibal said.

Chief Justice Kant said both sides will have arguments and the court will hear all sides.

“We will try to hear it this week,” the CJI said.

The petition was filed hours after the top election body, on September 17, allotted new names and symbols to the two Trinamool Congress factions led by Mamata Banerjee and Ritabrata Banerjee.

The Mamata faction was given the name “Mamata All India Trinamool Congress” with the symbol “footballer”, while the Ritabrata grouping was given the name “Trinamool Democratic Congress” with the symbol “envelope”.

The plea said the EC did not comprehensively examine the party structure when considering competing claims made by both camps.

The petition said the EC was relying on statements made by rebel lawmakers who were facing disqualification proceedings under the Tenth Schedule (Anti-subversion Act) of the Constitution.

Mamata Banerjee’s camp also filed a separate petition highlighting the delay in the disqualification proceedings pending before the Speaker of the West Bengal Assembly against 10 legislators from the rebel faction.

Published – 21 Sep 2026 11:38 IST