The Election Commission of India (ECI) has officially intervened in the internal power struggle within the Trinamool Congress (TMC) by freezing the party’s recognized election symbol. This decision comes as the party faces a significant split between two competing factions, one led by Mamata Banerjee and the other by Ritabrata Banerjee.

Due to the ongoing dispute over the party's leadership and legitimacy, the ECI determined that it could not allow either group to utilize the established TMC symbol during the upcoming by-elections. Consequently, the commission has mandated that both factions must submit new party names and distinct symbols to the ECI for approval before they can participate in the electoral process. This administrative measure is intended to prevent voter confusion and ensure that the ballot remains neutral while the legal and organizational dispute is resolved.

While the ECI has provided a clear path forward for the factions to contest the by-elections, the underlying conflict regarding the rightful leadership of the party remains unresolved. The move highlights the ECI's authority to regulate party symbols when internal party democracy breaks down to the point of a formal split. Both factions are now under pressure to rebrand their campaigns on short notice to meet the ECI's requirements for the upcoming polls.