Supreme Court Urges NCP Factions to Focus on Voters Amid Clock Symbol Dispute

The Supreme Court advised the opposing factions of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) led by Sharad and Ajit Pawar, to prioritize engaging voters over court battles about the clock election symbol. Ajit Pawar's group was instructed to issue disclaimers on the symbol's legal status pending in newspapers.

The Supreme Court intervened in the ongoing dispute between Sharad and Ajit Pawar factions of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) on Wednesday, urging both groups to concentrate on voter engagement rather than court battles. The conflict centers around the controversial 'clock' election symbol.

A bench of Justices Surya Kant, Dipankar Datta and Ujjal Bhuyan, while hearing the case, directed Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar's faction to publish a prominent disclaimer in newspapers, including Marathi ones, clarifying that the issue of the 'clock' symbol's allocation remains unresolved in court.

This directive follows Sharad Pawar's plea challenging the Election Commission's February decision to recognize Ajit Pawar's faction as the legitimate NCP, thereby granting them the use of the disputed symbol. The court emphasized a focus on democratic processes over judicial arguments.

(With inputs from agencies.)