TMC Name, Symbol Fight: Supreme Court Gives EC 3 Months, Speaker Gets October 10 Deadline

The battle for control of the Trinamool Congress has entered a crucial phase. The Supreme Court has indicated that the West Bengal Assembly Speaker should decide disqualification petitions against 10 rebel MLAs by October 10. At the same time, the court has directed the Election Commission to decide the dispute over the TMC’s original name and “Flowers and Grass” symbol within three months after both factions complete their pleadings. The EC has temporarily frozen the original name and symbol and allotted separate names and symbols to the rival camps for upcoming bypolls.