The Shiv Sena faction led by Uddhav Thackeray has asked the Supreme Court to halt the Election Commission from choosing between Mr. Thackeray and Chief Minister Eknath Shinde as the party’s leader until a decision is made regarding the disqualification of MLAs who had rebelled against Mr. Thackeray, the former Chief Minister of Maharashtra.
After taking office with the BJP’s backing, Team Shinde claims that it is the “real Shiv Sena.”
Both Sena groups have been instructed by the Election Commission to submit written declarations and documentary proof by August 8 in order to establish who represents the Maharashtra party. The Election Commission won’t hear the case until after that.
In a petition to the Supreme Court, Team Thackeray said that unless there is clarification regarding the disqualification of dissident Sena MLAs who deposed Mr. Thackeray by moving from Gujarat to Assam to Goa last month, the Election Commission cannot determine which group represents the Shiv Sena.
In a letter to the constitutional body responsible for allotting party symbols and holding elections, Team Shinde claimed it has the support of 40 out of 55 MLAs and 12 out of 18 Lok Sabha MPs.
“…It is evident that there is a split in the Shiv Sena, one group of which is being led by Eknath Shinde and the other group is being led by Uddhav Thackeray, both the groups claim to be the real Shiv Sena with their leader being the alleged president of Shiv Sena party,” the Election Commission said on Saturday in a notice to the two camps seeking documentary evidence for the party’s control by August 8.
The Election Commission said it will take the next step for a “substantive hearing” only after getting the documentary evidence and written statements.
The Shinde camp had requested that Team Thackeray be disqualified from the Maharashtra assembly. On July 11, the Supreme Court, however, instructed Speaker Rahul Narwekar to withdraw the petition calling for Team Thackeray’s disqualification.
According to the Shinde camp, Sena opponents who disobeyed the party whip during the trust vote and Speaker election last month should be disqualified.
A broader Supreme Court bench will review the problems that both groups have framed by Wednesday, and the case will be heard on August 1.
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The Chenab Times News Desk
