New Delhi: The Election Commission (EC) today (Feb 13, 2004) reserved its orders on the dispute between two factions of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) over the party flag and 'clock' symbol following a split last month after a three-hour hearing.

The full Commission presided over by Chief Election Commissioner T S Krishna Murthy gave time till Thursday (Feb 19, 2004) to Sangma faction to file additional documents in support of their claim, if it wished to do so.

Praful Patel, leader of the NCP (Pawar) told reporters that the Commission has told both the sides that there would be no more hearing and the EC would pronounce its order later.

The arguments before the Commission saw Pawar and Sangma factions crossing swords, with the former arguing that there was "not a whisper of foreign born" in the party constitution.

Sangma group contended that it be allotted the party flag and "clock" symbol as it was the only true follower of the party ideology, which calls for opposition to any naturalised citizen occupying high office.

"Ideology is the foundation of the NCP and this cutting edge resulted in parting company with Congress," Parag Tripathi, senior Supreme Court lawyer representing Sangma faction told the three-member poll panel.

Senior Supreme Court lawyer Ashok Desai, pleading the case of Pawar group, said ideology played a "smaller role" and insisted that the party was floated on the issue of secularism.