Thackeray vs Shinde: EC restrains both camps from using Shiv Sena’s name, symbol

“The two groups shall also be allotted such different symbols as they may choose from the list of free symbols notified by the Election Commission for the purposes of the ongoing by-elections,” the Election Commission said in its order.

The Commission has directed both the groups to submit the choices of names and symbols for their groups by 1:00 PM on October 10 which may be allotted to them.

The Commission may allot name and symbol to both the groups from the options presented.

The interim order came on Saturday on the request of the Shinde faction, which sought allotment of symbol to him as the Andheri East Assembly by-polls neared.

The Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena on Saturday termed the Election Commission’s order restraining rival factions of the party from using the party’s name and symbol as “injustice”.

Leader of Opposition in Maharashtra Legislative Council Ambadas Danve, who has allegiance to the Thackeray group, said the election body should have taken the decision in a holistic manner instead of passing an interim decision for the bypolls. “This is injustice,” he told the news agency PTI,

Following the Election Commission’s order, Aaditya Thackeray wrote in a tweet, “Today the boxing traitors have done a despicable and shameless act of freezing the name and emblem of Shiv Sena. The people of Maharashtra will not tolerate this. Will fight and win! We are on the side of the truth! Satyameva Jayate.”

After the split in the Shiv Sena ranks in June, rival factions had approached the commission claiming to be the “real Shiv Sena”.

The commission had earlier asked rival groups to submit documentary evidence on legislative and organizational support by August 8 to support their claims. The deadline was extended to October 7 following a request from the Thackeray faction.

In view of the Andheri East assembly by-polls notified on Friday, the Shinde faction had moved the Election Commission on October 4 demanding allotment of the bow and arrow symbol.

The Thackeray faction had on Saturday responded to the claim and sought four more weeks to go through the document submitted by the rival faction carefully.

The commission said the interim order was necessary to address the statutory vacancies arising out of the schedule of by-elections notified on October 3.

Accordingly, in order to put both the rival groups in an equal position and to protect their rights and interests, and on the basis of precedence, the Commission said that neither of the two groups was allowed to use the name of the party Shiv Sena. Should be known

“Both the groups shall be known by such names as they may choose for their respective groups, including affiliation with their parent party ‘Shiv Sena’, if they so desire,” it said.

The Election Commission said the interim order would continue and would continue “till the final determination of the dispute”.

October 14 is the last date for filing nominations for the by-elections to be held on November 3.

The new claim by the Shinde faction on the symbol of ‘bow and arrow’ is being seen as an attempt to deny its use by the Thackeray group, which decided to field Rutuja Latte, the widow of MLA Ramesh Latte, for the bypoll. has done.

Shinde faction’s ally BJP has decided to field corporator Murji Patel in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation for the by-elections held due to the death of Ramesh Latte.

The Congress and the NCP have decided to support the candidate of the Thackeray faction of Shiv Sena, their alliance partner in Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA).

The Commission headed by Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar issued the interim order later this afternoon.

The Andheri East bypoll is the first since Shinde and the BJP toppled the MVA government in June, and is considered by political analysts as a harbinger of settling the claims of Shinde and Thackeray being the “real Shiv Sena”.

(with inputs from PTI)