Supreme Court upholds freeze on TMC faction's bank accounts

The Supreme Court has dismissed an application filed by the Mamata Banerjee faction of the Trinamool Congress seeking to operate four bank accounts that have been frozen by authorities. The court's decision maintains the status quo on the disputed accounts while the underlying ownership dispute continues.

In its order, the bench observed that the Election Commission's action in freezing the party symbol has created a situation where the fundamental question of who is legitimately entitled to these funds remains pending determination. The court found that lifting the freeze on the accounts at this juncture would be premature, given the unresolved nature of the larger dispute.

The TMC has been embroiled in an internal factional dispute, with rival groups claiming to represent the authentic party organisation. The Election Commission's intervention to freeze the party symbol was aimed at preventing misuse of party assets during the period of factional conflict.

The court's decision effectively maintains the freeze on the accounts until the Election Commission makes a final determination on which faction constitutes the legitimate Trinamool Congress. The ruling underscores the judiciary's caution in intervening in matters where regulatory authorities have already taken cognisance of the dispute.