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In a major development ahead of elections, the Supreme Court on Monday, September 21, 2026, agreed to urgently list the petition filed by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee challenging the Election Commission’s decision to freeze the Trinamool Congress party name and symbol.
The Election Commission (EC) had passed an interim order freezing the ‘All India Trinamool Congress’ name and its iconic ‘Jora Ghash Phul’ (flowers and grass) symbol amid a dispute between two rival factions of the TMC.
On Friday, the EC allotted separate interim names and symbols to both factions, barring them from using the original party name and symbol until a final decision is made.
Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal mentioned the matter for urgent listing before a bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V. Mohana.
“They issue a notification and in the middle of notification, they freeze the symbol. What is going on? We want urgent listing,” Sibal argued. 9017
The Court accepted the request for urgent hearing.
In her plea, Mamata Banerjee has made the Election Commission and Ritabrata Banerjee, Leader of the Opposition in West Bengal Assembly, as respondents.
On September 18, Mamata Banerjee strongly attacked the EC’s decision, calling it a “black day” in India’s democratic history. She likened the loss of the party’s identity to “the pain of a mother losing her child” and vowed to fight politically, democratically and legally to reclaim the party’s original identity.
The Supreme Court’s urgent listing means the case will be heard in the coming days. The outcome will be crucial for the TMC’s political future and its campaign symbol recognition among voters.