New Delhi, Jan 10 (IANS): The Election Commission on Tuesday fixed January 13 to hear the Samajwadi Party's warring factions led by Mulayam Singh Yadav and his son Akhilesh Yadav to settle the dispute over control of the party and its election symbol of "cycle".

According to EC sources, the commission has asked both to appear before it on January 13 at 12.30 p.m.

"The ECI will hear arguments from both sides before deciding on whom to award the party symbol 'cycle'," the source said.

The commission's action came a week after both the factions led by Samajwadi Party patriarch Mulayam Singh and Akhilesh claimed their stake over the party symbol.

Mulayam Singh first approached the EC on January 2, a day after he was dislodged as the party chief by Akhilesh Yadav and his uncle and close confidante Ram Gopal Yadav at an emergency national party executive meeting.

Ram Gopal Yadav approached the EC the next day to stake Akhilesh Yadav's claim over the party and its symbol.

Meanwhile, Mulayam Singh and Ram Gopal also met the Chief Election Commissioner Nasim Zaidi on Monday asking him to speed up the process before January 17 as the process of nomination begins for the first phase of polling in the state to be held on February 11.