New Delhi, September 24: The Supreme Court on Thursday asked the Election Commission of India to indicate a timeline for deciding the dispute over the Trinamool Congress’ original name and election symbol, with the matter set to come up again on Monday.

A bench headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, along with Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V. Mohana, directed the Election Commission’s counsel to seek instructions on how much time the poll panel would require to dispose of the dispute. The Court also stressed that the interests of both rival factions should be protected while the proceedings continue.

The hearing followed a petition filed by Mamata Banerjee challenging the Election Commission’s interim decision to freeze the use of the “All India Trinamool Congress” name and the party’s traditional “Flowers & Grass” symbol amid competing claims over the party’s identity.

The Election Commission had issued its interim order on September 17, concluding that rival groups were claiming to represent the TMC and that the matter required a substantive determination under Paragraph 15 of the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968.

For the upcoming West Bengal Assembly bypolls, the Commission subsequently allotted separate names and symbols to the two factions. The Mamata Banerjee-led camp was assigned “Mamata All India Trinamool Congress” with the Football Player symbol, while the rival faction was given “Democratic Trinamool Congress” and the Envelope symbol.

The Supreme Court's latest intervention does not settle which side is entitled to the original TMC identity. Instead, the immediate focus is on the Election Commission's proposed timeframe for reaching a decision, with the Court expected to hear the matter again on Monday.

The dispute comes ahead of the October 6 West Bengal Assembly bypolls, making the question of party identity and symbols particularly significant for the rival factions contesting the elections.