Shinde Vs Thackeray row: Supreme Court to hear Uddhav Thackeray's plea challenging EC verdict today at 3:30pm

The plea of former CM Uddhav Thackeray against the Election Commission of India’s recognition of CM Eknath Shinde’s faction as the real Shiv Sena will be heard today by the Supreme Court.

Senior advocate Kapil Sibal urged a bench headed by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud to take up the matter with the other Constitution Bench matters. He sought stay of the ECI order, “lest they take over everything, including the bank accounts”. 

The two-judge bench, also comprising Justice PS Narasimha, said they don’t want to disrupt the Constitution Bench as there are three judges waiting and added, “we will finish the Constitution Bench and get up a little early and then take it up on Wednesday”. The CJI said, “We have not read it yet…tomorrow.” The bench decided to take up the matter at 3:30 pm.

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“The petitioner has an overwhelming majority in the Pratinidhi Sabha, which is the apex representative body, representing the wishes of the primary members and other stakeholders of the party. The Pratinidhi Sabha is the apex body recognised under Article VIII of the Party Constitution. The petitioner enjoys the support of 160 members out of approximately 200 odd members in the Pratinidhi Sabha”, Thackeray’s plea said.

EC retained party symbol to Shinde camp

The Election Commission allotted the Shiv Sena party name and the bow and arrow symbol to the faction led by Eknath Shinde, on February 17. 

“The ECI has disregarded the party Constitution of 2018 (which was admitted even by the respondent No.1 to be the Constitution governing the parties) on the ground that such a constitution is undemocratic and that it was not communicated to the Commission. These observations are totally erroneous as the amendments in the Constitution were categorically communicated to the Commission in 2018 itself and the petitioner will place clear evidence in this regard,” said the plea, seeking interim stay on the ECI order passed on February 17.

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Took over Vidhan Bhavan office
Post the EC order, the Shinde group took over the Vidhan Bhavan office and are likely to take over the party office in BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation's headquarters as well. It is being reported that they are also aiming to take over the party funds currently held by Thackeray faction.