Calcutta HC seeks ECI report on 'envelope' symbol allotment to Trinamool faction
Synopsis
AISF's Nawsad Siddique built two consecutive election wins in Bhangar on the 'envelope' symbol — so when the ECI handed that symbol to Ritabrata Banerjee's expelled Trinamool faction, he went straight to the Calcutta High Court. With West Bengal bypolls just two weeks away, the court has now asked the ECI to explain itself.
Key Takeaways
The Calcutta High Court on 23 September 2026 sought a report from the ECI over the 'envelope' symbol allotment to the Ritabrata Banerjee -led Trinamool faction.
AISF leader Nawsad Siddique filed the petition after winning from Bhangar constituency twice — in 2021 and 2026 — on the 'envelope' symbol.
The ECI also allotted the name 'Democratic Trinamool Congress' to the Banerjee faction and reassigned the 'Almirah' symbol to AISF.
The Aam Janata Unnayan Party (AJUP) was separately allotted the 'table' symbol, replacing its 'whistle' symbol; founder Humayun Kabir has not challenged the change.
Both the Nandigram and Rejinagar bypolls are scheduled for 6 October , with results on 9 October .
The matter will be heard again at the Calcutta High Court on Thursday .
The Calcutta High Court on Wednesday, 23 September 2026, sought a report from the Election Commission of India (ECI) over its decision earlier this month to allot the 'envelope' election symbol to the 'rebel but majority' faction of the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC), led by expelled legislator Ritabrata Banerjee. The matter is being heard by a single-judge bench of Justice Krishna Rao and will come up again on Thursday.
Background: How the Dispute Arose
The petition was filed by the All India Secular Front (AISF), whose sole representative in the West Bengal Legislative Assembly is Nawsad Siddique. Siddique had contested and won from the Bhangar Assembly Constituency in South 24 Parganas district — twice, in 2021 and again in 2026 — using the 'envelope' as his election symbol. The ECI's decision to now allot that same symbol to the Ritabrata-led faction effectively stripped AISF of a symbol closely identified with Siddique's electoral identity. The Commission simultaneously allotted the name 'Democratic Trinamool Congress' to the Banerjee faction and reassigned the 'Almirah' symbol to AISF.
AISF's Objections and Legal Challenge
Siddique first raised formal objections directly with the ECI before escalating the matter to the Calcutta High Court. At Wednesday's hearing, Justice Rao's bench concluded proceedings by directing the ECI to furnish a detailed report. The case underscores the wider contest within the Trinamool ecosystem, as expelled functionaries seek formal recognition — and the symbols that come with it — ahead of scheduled bypoll contests.
Other Symbol Changes in West Bengal
AISF was not the only West Bengal party affected by the ECI's recent symbol revision exercise. The Aam Janata Unnayan Party (AJUP), founded by Humayun Kabir, was allotted the symbol 'table', replacing its earlier 'whistle' symbol. Kabir had notably contested and won from both the Naoda and Rejinagar Assembly constituencies in Murshidabad district simultaneously using the whistle symbol earlier this year. Unlike Siddique, Kabir has not raised any objection to the change.
Bypoll Stakes
The timing of the dispute is significant. AISF is contesting the upcoming bypoll from Nandigram in East Midnapore district, while AJUP is fielding a candidate in the Rejinagar bypoll. Both bypolls are scheduled for 6 October, with results to be declared on 9 October. A symbol change at this stage can materially disrupt voter recognition, particularly in constituencies where a candidate's symbol has become synonymous with their identity over multiple election cycles.
What Comes Next
The ECI is now required to submit its report to the Calcutta High Court before the next hearing on Thursday. The court's eventual ruling could have implications for how the Commission handles symbol allotments in factional disputes — a pattern that has recurred across several regional parties in recent years. With the October bypolls fast approaching, any judicial intervention could reshape the electoral contest at the last mile.
Point of View
Reassigning that symbol to an adversarial faction days before a bypoll is not a neutral administrative act — it is, in effect, electoral disruption by paperwork. The court's intervention is warranted, but the deeper fix requires the Commission to establish clearer, time-bound rules that insulate voters from the fallout of inner-party wars. West Bengal's recurring factional churn — within TMC, its offshoots, and smaller regional formations — makes this a recurrent vulnerability that no individual court order will permanently resolve.
NationPress
23 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did the Calcutta High Court seek a report from the ECI?
The Calcutta High Court sought a report from the Election Commission of India after AISF leader Nawsad Siddique challenged the ECI's decision to allot the 'envelope' symbol — under which he had won twice — to the Ritabrata Banerjee-led faction of Trinamool Congress. The single-judge bench of Justice Krishna Rao directed the ECI to explain its decision, with the next hearing scheduled for Thursday.
Who is Nawsad Siddique and why does the symbol matter to him?
Nawsad Siddique is the sole AISF representative in the West Bengal Legislative Assembly and a two-time winner from the Bhangar constituency in South 24 Parganas — first in 2021 and again in 2026 — both times contesting on the 'envelope' symbol. The symbol has become closely associated with his political identity, making its reassignment to a rival faction particularly damaging ahead of the October bypolls.
What symbol was AISF assigned after the ECI's decision?
After the ECI allotted the 'envelope' symbol to the Ritabrata Banerjee-led faction, AISF was reassigned the 'Almirah' symbol. The Banerjee faction also received the registered name 'Democratic Trinamool Congress'.
When are the West Bengal bypolls and which constituencies are involved?
The West Bengal bypolls are scheduled for 6 October 2026, with results to be declared on 9 October. AISF is contesting from Nandigram in East Midnapore district, while AJUP is fielding a candidate in the Rejinagar bypoll in Murshidabad district.
Is the AJUP also contesting the symbol change in court?
No. Aam Janata Unnayan Party founder Humayun Kabir, who won from both Naoda and Rejinagar using the 'whistle' symbol earlier this year, has not raised any objection to the ECI's decision to replace it with the 'table' symbol.
