SC bars Ajit Pawar’s NCP faction from using Sharad Pawar’s image
The Supreme Court has directed Ajit Pawar’s faction of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) to refrain from using the name, photos, or videos of Sharad Pawar in their campaign materials for the Maharashtra assembly election on November 20. This order enforces an earlier mandate that both factions retain separate identities during the election, underscoring that Ajit Pawar’s group should establish an independent image if they hold ideological differences from Sharad Pawar.
The court, addressing Ajit Pawar's NCP, advised, “Learn to stand on your own legs,” emphasizing the importance of maintaining distinct party identities amid ideological divergence. The matter is set for review on November 19. A bench led by Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan highlighted the importance of a fair competition, expressing confidence in voters’ awareness yet noting potential challenges like artificial intelligence in election manipulation.
This directive came after Senior Advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, representing Sharad Pawar’s NCP, argued that Ajit Pawar’s faction was still leveraging the senior leader’s reputation despite the Supreme Court’s previous ruling to separate identities for campaigning purposes.