Victory of voters: Sharad Pawar after SC ruling on his faction’s name, symbol

Mumbai: Sharad Pawar on Monday described as a victory of voters the Supreme Court ruling that his faction can use the name 'NCP-Sharadchandra Pawar' till further orders.

“It is a win for the voters as the court observed that the voters of the country should not be undermined and questioned what about the fact that candidates have fought on the ticket of the original party,” Pawar said in a statement.

The apex court on Monday directed that Election Commission's order of February 6 allotting 'Nationalist Congress Party-Sharadchandra Pawar' as the party name for the Sharad Pawar faction will continue till further orders.

“On the auspicious day of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Jayanti, the Supreme Court has granted us interim relief against the order of the Election Commission of India.

“We bow down to the Supreme Court for recognising us as ‘Nationalist Congress Party-Sharadchandra Pawar’ in the interim, and having directed the Election Commission of India to consider our application for a symbol to us within 7 days,” Pawar said.

“This is a big win for democracy at large, and we shall continue fighting for Dr B R Ambedkar’s Constitution. Satyamev Jayate!” Pawar added.

A bench of Justices Surya Kant and K V Viswanathan sought response of Ajit Pawar-led faction on a plea of Sharad Pawar against the February 6 order of Election Commission recognising the Maharashtra deputy chief minister-led group as the real Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).

"We would like to examine the matter," the bench said as it issued notice to the Ajit Pawar led-faction.

The bench gave liberty to Sharad Pawar to move the Election Commission for allocation of the party symbol and directed the poll panel to allot it in one week of the application.

The bench, which appeared critical of the Election Commission’s February 6 order on recognising the real NCP, said, "The order says both of you (factions) violated the party constitution, both of you went against the 'aims and objective' and yet no one is disqualified. Just imagine what would happen to the voters, who voted for you."