Fight for Shiv Sena symbol: Supreme Court to hear on August 1 Uddhav group's plea against EC proceedings

New Delhi, July 26

The Supreme Court on Tuesday agreed to hear on August 1 a fresh plea by Shiv Sena’s Uddhav Thackeray faction against the Election Commission proceedings on a petition by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led group for recognition as the real Shiv Sena.

A bench comprising Chief Justice NV Ramana and Justices Krishna Murari and Hima Kohli was urged by senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for the Uddhav Thackeray faction, that the ongoing proceedings before the poll panel needed to be stayed as it would impact the hearing here in the case.

The top court said it would tag the fresh plea and hear it together with pending ones on August 1.

Recently, the poll panel asked the rival factions of the Shiv Sena led by Thackeray and Shinde to submit documents by August 8 in support of their claims on the election symbol — bow and arrow — of the political outfit.

Poll panel sources had said that the two sides had been asked to submit documents, including letters of support from the legislative and organisational wings of the party and the written statements of rival factions.