New Delhi: The Supreme Court held a crucial hearing on Wednesday on a petition filed regarding the Shiv Sena’s name and “bow and arrow” election symbol. Following arguments by Kapil Sibal, the lawyer representing the Uddhav Thackeray faction, senior advocate Neeraj Kishan Kaul presented the case on behalf of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s faction. Kaul attacked the Thackeray faction, raising serious questions about the changes made to the Shiv Sena’s organizational structure and party constitution in 2018.
Kaul, the lawyer representing the Shinde faction, claimed in court that many of the people appointed to the Shiv Sena organization in 2018 were not elected through a democratic process or election. He alleged that changes were made to the party’s constitution abruptly and undemocratically. Kaul said the Shinde faction wants to present some important documents to the court in this regard.
Arguing in court, Kaul stated that at that time, there was an atmosphere of authoritarianism within the party, preventing any leader from raising their voice. This suffocation and pressure led several representatives to unite and take this step under the leadership of Eknath Shinde. He questioned that if influence is used in elections, why can’t it be used to gain office within the party?
The Shinde faction’s lawyer strongly defended the Election Commission’s decision to recognize the Shinde faction as the real Shiv Sena. He dismissed the Thackeray faction’s allegations, stating that the Commission did not make any hasty decision, but only after hearing all parties and holding meetings. Kaul clarified that the Election Commission has full jurisdiction to decide such matters, which the Supreme Court has previously recognized.
It is noteworthy that after the Shiv Sena split in 2022, the Election Commission allotted the Shiv Sena name and the “bow and arrow” election symbol to the Eknath Shinde faction in February 2023. The Uddhav Thackeray faction appealed to the Supreme Court. Currently, the Supreme Court has allowed the Uddhav Thackeray faction to continue using the “Shiv Sena (UBT)” name and “torch” election symbol as an interim arrangement.
