Calcutta HC upholds Mamata faction's rights over 3 TMC bank accounts
Synopsis
Even as the Election Commission temporarily froze the Trinamool Congress name and electoral symbol ahead of two key by-elections, the Calcutta High Court held firm — the Mamata Banerjee faction keeps its court-supervised access to three frozen party bank accounts until January 2027. The ruling exposes a rare friction between judicial and regulatory authority in the middle of a full-blown party split.
Key Takeaways
Calcutta High Court on 21 September 2026 reaffirmed the Mamata Banerjee faction's 'partial' and 'conditional' access to three TMC bank accounts .
Justice Saugata Bhattacharya ruled that the ECI's interim freeze on the party name and symbol does not override the court's earlier order.
The right to spend from the accounts remains with the Mamata faction until 29 January 2027 , supervised by a court-appointed officer.
The ECI interim order bars both the Mamata Banerjee faction and the Ritabrata Banerjee -led rival group from using the party name or 'Flowers and Grass' symbol — applicable to by-elections in Nandigram and Rejinagar .
The accounts were originally frozen by West Bengal police over alleged illegal transactions; police submitted an investigation report to the court on Monday.
The Calcutta High Court on Monday, 21 September 2026, reaffirmed that the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) faction led by former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her nephew Abhishek Banerjee may continue the 'partial' and 'conditional' use of funds held in three party bank accounts — even as the Election Commission of India (ECI) has temporarily frozen the party's name and electoral symbol.
What the Court Ruled
A single-judge bench of Justice Saugata Bhattacharya made clear that the ECI's interim order freezing the name 'All India Trinamool Congress' and the electoral symbol of 'Flowers and Grass' would have no bearing on his court's earlier directive granting the Mamata Banerjee faction conditional access to the accounts. He noted that the Commission had issued only an interim — not a final — order, and that too specifically for the upcoming by-elections in Nandigram Assembly constituency in East Midnapore district and Rejinagar Assembly constituency in Murshidabad district. The right to spend from these funds will remain with the Mamata Banerjee-led grouping until 29 January 2027, the court stated.
The ECI's Interim Freeze and Its Limits
Under the ECI's interim order issued last week, neither the Mamata Banerjee faction — described in court proceedings as the 'original but minority faction' — nor the Ritabrata Banerjee-led 'rebel but majority' side is permitted, for the time being, to use the party name or its election symbol. The state government's Additional Advocate General Rajdeep Majumdar argued that in light of this freeze, neither faction should hold rights over the three accounts, since those accounts are registered in the name of 'All India Trinamool Congress'. Justice Bhattacharya rejected that argument, holding that the court's position would not change on the basis of an interim ECI order.
Background: How the Dispute Began
The three bank accounts at a private bank were originally frozen by West Bengal state police on charges of illegal transactions. The Mamata Banerjee faction challenged that order before the Calcutta High Court. On 9 July 2026, Justice Bhattacharya ruled that the faction would have temporary control over the accounts, subject to restrictions: spending would be confined to daily operations and worker salaries, overseen by a court-appointed special officer. That order was set to remain in force until 29 January 2027. This comes amid a broader, intensifying split within the TMC — a party that has governed West Bengal since 2011 — with rival factions disputing leadership, organisational control, and, now, financial resources.
Police Report and Next Steps
Separately, the court had directed police to investigate the alleged illegal transactions in the accounts and submit a report. That report was presented to the court during Monday's hearing. The case now continues with the court-appointed officer managing expenditure, and the ECI dispute over the party name and symbol expected to be resolved through a separate formal process before the by-elections next month.
Point of View
While the court continues to treat the Mamata faction as the legitimate steward of accounts held in that very name. The state government's argument — that the ECI freeze should collapse the court order — was legally neat but the court was right to distinguish an interim regulatory order from a vested judicial right. The deeper issue is what this split signals about the TMC's cohesion ahead of the Bengal electoral cycle: a party simultaneously fighting over its name, symbol, and bank accounts is one that has moved well beyond a factional dispute into institutional fragmentation. How the ECI resolves the final symbol and name question will determine which faction enters the next election with the most powerful asset — incumbency branding.
NationPress
21 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did the Calcutta High Court rule on 21 September 2026 regarding the TMC bank accounts?
The Calcutta High Court upheld its earlier order allowing the Mamata Banerjee-led faction of the All India Trinamool Congress to continue 'partial' and 'conditional' access to three party bank accounts until 29 January 2027. Justice Saugata Bhattacharya ruled that the Election Commission's interim freeze on the party name and symbol does not affect this arrangement.
Why did the Election Commission freeze the Trinamool Congress name and symbol?
The ECI issued an interim order temporarily freezing the 'All India Trinamool Congress' name and its 'Flowers and Grass' electoral symbol ahead of by-elections in Nandigram and Rejinagar constituencies. The order is interim — not final — and applies while the Commission adjudicates a dispute between the two rival TMC factions over which group is the legitimate party.
Who are the two rival factions of the TMC at the centre of this dispute?
The two factions are the 'original but minority faction' led by former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her nephew Abhishek Banerjee, and the 'rebel but majority faction' led by Ritabrata Banerjee. Both sides are contesting control of the party's name, symbol, and financial assets.
Why were the three TMC bank accounts frozen in the first place?
West Bengal state police froze three All India Trinamool Congress accounts at a private bank on charges of illegal transactions. The Mamata Banerjee faction challenged that police action in the Calcutta High Court, which subsequently granted them supervised access to the funds on 9 July 2026.
What restrictions apply to the Mamata faction's use of the bank accounts?
Spending from the three accounts is not unconditional. A court-appointed special officer oversees all withdrawals, permitting the faction to use funds only for daily operations and worker salaries. This arrangement remains in force until 29 January 2027, after which the court will revisit the order.
