Election Commission summons Mamata Banerjee and Ritabrata Banerjee over TMC split

The Election Commission has directed both factions of the Trinamool Congress to present their cases before a five-member delegation on 12 September. Mamata Banerjee and rebel leader Ritabrata Banerjee have been summoned separately—Banerjee at 11 a.m. and Ritabrata Banerjee at noon—to the IIIDEM office in Dwarka, Delhi.

The move comes ahead of bypolls in Nandigram and Raiganj scheduled after the party split. The nomination filing deadline for these constituencies is 16 September, giving the EC limited time to resolve the dispute. The commission has not yet frozen the TMC's electoral symbol or name.

Rebel faction spokesperson Riju Dutta told media the dissident group will not field a candidate against Mamata if she contests from Nandigram, and expressed confidence the party would retain its electoral symbol after following all legal procedures.