The Election Commission on Saturday sought additional documents from the Ritabrata Banerjee-led faction in the dispute over rival claims to the Trinamool Congress. The development came as the Mamata Banerjee-led faction also appeared before the poll panel to present its case in the ongoing organisational dispute.

Ritabrata Banerjee, the Leader of the Opposition in West Bengal, said his delegation made oral submissions before the full Election Commission bench. The panel also raised questions during the hearing, which the delegation addressed. The faction presented several documents during the proceedings. The commission then asked it to submit some additional papers before the end of the day.

The hearing is taking place amid a dispute between the two factions over control of the Trinamool Congress organisation. The rival groups have also laid competing claims to the party's name and election symbol. The Election Commission's decision will determine which faction can formally claim the party's organisational identity and symbol.

The Mamata Banerjee-led faction also met the Election Commission on Saturday. Its five-member delegation included Trinamool Congress leaders Derek O'Brien, Kalyan Banerjee, Sagarika Ghose and Saket Gokhale. Advocate Abhinav Singh was also part of the delegation.

The timing of the hearing is significant with bypolls scheduled for the Nandigram and Rejinagar Assembly seats on October 6. The last date for filing nominations for the bypolls is September 16. The rival factions are seeking clarity from the poll panel ahead of the nomination deadline.

Banerjee was asked whether his faction had received any assurance from the Election Commission that it would decide the symbol dispute before nominations close. He said the faction had specifically requested the commission to settle the matter before the deadline.

"We have played our role. We have made our submission. We will be giving some more documents today itself. Now we have to wait for the highest apex body to give a ruling," Banerjee said..

The Election Commission's request for more documents indicates that the panel is continuing to examine the claims made by the Ritabrata-led faction. Both sides have been presenting their positions before the poll body as the dispute over organisational control, party recognition and the election symbol continues.

With the nomination process for the October 6 bypolls approaching, the rival factions are awaiting the commission's ruling on their competing claims. The decision will have a direct bearing on which side can use the Trinamool Congress name and symbol in the upcoming electoral contest.