EC bars Thackeray, Shinde camps from using Shiv Sena name, 'bow and arrow' symbol for Maharashtra bypoll

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New Delhi, October 8

Amid the ongoing factional feud between Uddhav Thackeray-led camp and Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde group, the Election Commission today seized the Shiv Sena’s poll symbol ‘bow and arrow’.

In an interim order on the issue, the EC said, “The commission hereby makes the following interim order to cover the purpose of the current bypolls and to continue till the final destination of the dispute in the matter.”

The poll panel said that neither of the two groups led by Eknathrao Sambhaji Shinde and other led by Uddhav Thackeray be permitted to use the name of the party “Shiv Sena”and neither of the two groups shall also be permitted to use the symbol “Bow and Arrow”, reserved for “Shiv Sena’.

“Both the groups shall be known by such names as they may choose for their respective groups, including, if they so desire, linkage with their parent party “Shiv Sena”; and both the 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 current bye-elections,” the EC said.

The Commission asked both the groups to furnish, latest by 01:00 PM on October 10, the names of their groups by which they may be recognized by Commission and to this end, give three options in order of preference, anyone of which may be approved by the Commission.

They have also been asked to furnish choices of symbols which may be allotted to the candidates. “They may indicate the names of three free symbols, in the order of their preference, anyone of which may be allotted to their candidates by the Commission,” said the EC.

It is evident that the time available is not adequate to ensure the due process which is required to be completed for the proceedings. However, the Commission takes note of the urgency involved with regard to use of party symbol and party name due to the schedule of the bye-elections announced, the order issued by the EC on Saturday evening said.