‘Why are you using Sharad Pawar’s photograph?’ SC questions Ajit Pawar

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday raised eyebrows on the Ajit Pawar faction – which has been recognised by the Election Commission as the “real” NCP – using the name and photograph of veteran leader and party founder Sharad Pawar.

“Why are you (Ajit Pawar) using his photograph? Go ahead with your own photographs. Why are you riding on his back?” asked a Bench presided over by Justice Surya Kant.

Responding, Senior Advocate Maninder Singh, who appeared on behalf of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister, Ajit Pawar, submitted that the party was not doing it and the respondent would file a proper reply to the claims made by the other side.

At this, the Bench, also comprising Justice KV Viswanathan said, “Who will stop? Who will take the responsibility? Give an undertaking to us that you will not allow any of your workers to use his photograph. Otherwise, we will be constrained to pass an order.”

“We want a very categoric and unconditional undertaking from you that you (Ajit Pawar) will not use his name directly or indirectly,” it added.

Agreeing with the suggestion put forth by the apex court, Senior Advocate Singh highlighted that a mechanism was required to be evolved where falsely-engineered materials were not attributed to the Ajit Pawar faction.

Giving a two-day timeline to furnish an undertaking, the apex court said, “You give a public notice with wide publicity and clarify everything. You disclose how you want to be known in the political world. Let there be a public notice. Then, you discipline your members. They are your members.”

Appearing for veteran leader Sharad Pawar, Senior Advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, submitted that the ‘clock’ symbol is immeasurably intertwined with his name and the Ajit Pawar faction should not be allowed to use it as well.

The matter is directed to be listed next on March 19.

In an interim relief, the Supreme Court had directed that the Sharad Pawar side may continue to use the name ‘Nationalist Congress Party-Sharadchandra Pawar’ till further orders.

It had granted liberty to the senior Pawar to approach the Election Commission of India for allocation of the party symbol and directed the poll panel to allocate it within one week of receiving the application.

The NCP split in July last year, with a faction led by nephew Ajit Pawar rebelling against his uncle Sharad Pawar to join the ruling BJP-Shiv Sena government in Maharashtra.