Learn To Stand On Your Feet: SC Tells Ajit Pawar On Using Sharad Pawar's Pics

Supreme Court of India on Wednesday questioned the Ajit Pawar-led faction of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) for using founder Sharad Pawar's name and image in their online content and election ads. It comes amid the heated campaigning for the Maharashtra Assembly elections.

Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan stressed that voters could distinguish between the factions despite any confusion. "Learn to stand on your own feet..." NDTV quoted the apex court as telling the Ajit faction.

Senior Advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, representing Sharad Pawar's side, accused Ajit Pawar's faction of exploiting Sharad Pawar's reputation without proper disclaimers. A particular concern was raised about a video featuring Sharad Pawar's image. The court questioned why his name and image were necessary for Ajit Pawar's campaign.

The bench urged Ajit Pawar's faction to create its own political identity instead of relying on Sharad Pawar's established reputation. They emphasized adherence to court orders regarding disclaimers in all promotional materials.

The court remarked on voters' intelligence, suggesting they could make informed choices despite any tactics used by either faction. This comment underscored confidence in voters' ability to discern between political narratives during elections.

Earlier, the court had instructed Ajit Pawar's group to include disclaimers in their advertisements. These disclaimers were to clarify that their use of the NCP's clock symbol was temporary, pending a court decision on its ownership dispute with Sharad Pawar's faction. However, Sharad Pawar's representatives argued that these orders were not being fully adhered to, misleading voters into believing there was unity within the Pawar family.

The Ajit Pawar faction was permitted by the court to use the NCP's clock symbol for the 2024 parliamentary and state elections under certain conditions. This followed an interim recognition by the Election Commission, which identified this faction as the legitimate NCP. However, this recognition remains subject to a final decision by the court.

Sharad Pawar's faction was directed to campaign using a different symbol, a tutari (trumpet). The case is set to continue on November 19, with further reviews on compliance with court directives. During proceedings, there was a light-hearted reference to Donald Trump, then President-elect of the United States.