The Election Commission of India (ECI) has sought responses from rival factions of the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) regarding competing claims about the party’s organisational elections and authorised signatories.

 

In a statement, the Commission said it has written separate letters to Mamata Banerjee and party leader Ritabrata Banerjee regarding the claims and counterclaims by both factions with respect to organisational elections and authorised signatories of the AITC. The Commission said both sides have been directed to submit their responses by 5.30 pm on Monday.

 

The development comes amid a dispute within the Trinamool Congress over the party’s organisational structure and the authority to act on its behalf before the Election Commission.

 

Such disputes are governed by the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, under which the Commission examines rival claims, supporting documents and submissions from the contending factions before taking a decision, where necessary. The ECI has not expressed any view on the merits of the rival claims and has sought written responses from both factions before proceeding further in the matter.