ANI
Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for Sharad Pawar, presented photographs of some material posters and social media posts which have been allegedly published in violation of the Supreme Court order. He submitted that NCP (Ajit Pawar) candidate Amol Mitkari had published photographs showing only Sharad Pawar and argued that Ajit Pawar’s side was trying to piggyback on the goodwill of the senior Pawar’s reputation.
Hearing the controversy involving the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), the Supreme Court verbally asked Ajit Pawar’s group not to use photographs and videos of Sharad Pawar in its campaign material for the Maharashtra Assembly elections. The court told NCP (Ajit Pawar) that they will have to contest elections on the basis of their separate identity. The court asked Ajit Pawar to direct his party members not to use pictures and videos of Sharad Pawar. A bench of Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan was hearing an application filed by Sharad Pawar, seeking to stop Ajit Pawar from using the clock symbol for the Maharashtra Assembly elections. Earlier, the court had directed Ajit Pawar to publish a disclaimer in newspapers regarding the election symbol of a clock. Looking at the disclaimers printed in the newspapers presented in the court, Justice Surya Kant jokingly said that one of your disclaimers is printed just below the news of Donald Trump, which looks quite impressive!
Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for Sharad Pawar, presented photographs of some material posters and social media posts which have been allegedly published in violation of the Supreme Court order. He submitted that NCP (Ajit Pawar) candidate Amol Mitkari had published photographs showing only Sharad Pawar and argued that Ajit Pawar’s side was trying to piggyback on the goodwill of the senior Pawar’s reputation. Senior lawyer Balbir Singh, appearing for Ajit Pawar, refuted the allegations and claimed that the material was doctored. Singhvi replied that the video was posted from the official handle of Amol Mitkari.
Justice Surya Kant asked Singhvi whether you think the people of Maharashtra are not aware of the crackdown. The judge also asked whether people of rural Maharashtra would be affected by the posts made on social media. Singhvi replied that India is different today, most of what we see here in Delhi is seen by rural people. He said that when a direction is passed by the Supreme Court, the other party is bound to follow it.
