States » EastPosted at: Sep 24 2026 5:21PM


Calcutta HC questions EC over ISF’s symbol change ahead of bypolls

Kolkata, Sep 24 (UNI) The Calcutta High Court questioned the Election Commission’s decision to take away the ‘envelope’ symbol used by the Indian Secular Front (ISF) in the recent Assembly elections and allot it to Ritabrata Banerjee’s Ganatantrik Trinamool Congress ahead of the October 6 bypolls in West Bengal.
Hearing the ISF’s plea before Justice Krishna Rao on Thursday, the court questioned why the symbol allotted to a party in the main election just four months ago was not retained or frozen for the bypoll.
The court also questioned the manner in which the poll panel had taken the decision.
“Why do you always take such decisions that create controversy?” the court asked the Election Commission.
The EC has allotted the ‘almirah’ symbol to ISF, led by Naushad Siddiqui, for the bypolls in two Assembly constituencies.
The ‘envelope’ symbol, which ISF had used in the 2021 and 2024 elections as a free symbol, has now been allotted to the Ganatantrik Trinamool Congress led by Ritabrata Banerjee.
Senior advocate Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya, appearing for ISF, argued that the Commission should have frozen the envelope symbol to avoid confusion among voters, particularly since it had been allotted to ISF in the recent Assembly election.
The Election Commission’s counsel, however, argued that ISF is not a recognised political party and therefore cannot claim a reserved symbol.
According to the Commission, the envelope had been allotted to ISF as a free symbol in the 2021 and 2024 elections.
However, the court was not convinced by the argument.
Justice Rao observed that while the Commission may have such provisions in its rules, questions remained over why a symbol allotted to a party in the main election could not continue to be used in the bypoll.
“The Commission has to act neutrally,” the court observed.
The court also questioned the decision of the Ganatantrik Trinamool Congress to seek the envelope symbol despite knowing that it had been used by another party in previous elections.
Appearing for Ritabrata’s party, advocate Bishwaroop Bhattacharya said the party had submitted a list of three preferred symbols and the Commission had selected the envelope from that list.
The court also questioned why no notification had been issued regarding the change in ISF’s symbol.
The Election Commission has been directed to provide the High Court with detailed information by Friday on why no notification was issued regarding the change of ISF’s symbol.
UNI SAG RSA
Tags: #Calcutta HC questions EC over ISF’s symbol change ahead of bypolls
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