Calcutta High Court Dismisses ISF Plea, Upholds ECI Decision on ‘Envelope’ Symbol

The Calcutta High Court has dismissed the Indian Secular Front's (ISF) plea challenging the Election Commission of India's allotment of the ‘Envelope’ symbol to the Democratic Trinamool Congress ahead of the Nandigram and Rejinagar by-elections. A bench led by Justice Krishna Rao upheld the ECI's decision.

According to Uttar Banga Sambad and other recent reports, ISF had challenged the reassignment of the ‘Envelope’ symbol, which it had used in the 2026 Assembly election, to the Ritabrata Banerjee-led Democratic Trinamool Congress. ISF was allotted the ‘Almirah’ symbol instead.

ISF argued that it had contested the Assembly election with the Envelope symbol only months earlier and that assigning the same symbol to another party before a by-election could create voter confusion. The ECI argued that ISF is not a recognised state or national party and that the Envelope is a free symbol, meaning ISF did not have a reserved right over it.

The court had reserved its order after hearing the matter on September 28. In the subsequent ruling, the High Court declined to interfere with the ECI's allotment decision and dismissed the ISF plea.

The ruling leaves the ECI's symbol allotment in place for the upcoming by-elections. Polling in Nandigram and Rejinagar is scheduled for October 6.

Source: Uttar Banga Sambad. The latest September 30 update was also cross-checked with Indian Express Bangla.