The Election Commission of India (ECI) has scheduled a hearing on September 17, 2026, for the two rival Trinamool Congress factions over their competing claims to the party name and election symbol. The ECI had previously heard both sides on September 12 and requested additional documents from the Ritabrata Banerjee-led faction, which claims support from nearly 65 of the party’s 80 MLAs in the 294-member West Bengal Assembly.
The upcoming hearing comes just before the October 6 Assembly bypolls in Nandigram and Rejinagar, with both factions fielding candidates and the nomination process closing on September 16. The Ritabrata faction has submitted information alleging irregularities in documents related to the June 5 Trinamool Working Committee meeting, during which the Mamata Banerjee-led group changed several office-bearers.
The Mamata faction rejects claims of an internal party dispute. Sources cited by The Hindu indicate the ECI might consider temporarily freezing the party symbol, following the precedent set by the Shiv Sena dispute. The September 17 proceedings are significant for determining the factions’ claims over the party’s official identity and symbol ahead of the bypolls.
