Today, On 7th May, In the election symbol dispute, Shiv Sena (UBT) has approached the Supreme Court for an urgent hearing. Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal urged for a decision on the party name and symbol before Maharashtra local polls.
New Delhi: The Supreme Court instructed the State Election Commission to announce the municipal elections in Maharashtra within the next four weeks.
Given this context, Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal, representing the Shiv Sena (Thackeray faction), made a specific request during a hearing today, Wednesday, concerning the ‘Shiv Sena’ name and the bow-and-arrow election symbol.
A bench comprising Justices Surya Kant and N. K. Singh heard the matter.
The Thackeray faction requested a decision on the party name and symbol before the local body elections.
The Supreme Court ordered the State Election Commission to announce the local body elections in Maharashtra within the next four weeks. In this context, Shiv Sena (Thackeray faction) lawyer Kapil Sibal made the request.
During the hearing, the bench took note of the request but pointed out that it might not be possible to take up the case urgently due to the upcoming court vacation.
Justice Surya Kant said,
“It is not possible to take it up before the vacation.”
Despite this, Kapil Sibal strongly pressed for early consideration, stressing that the decision on the symbol and party name should not depend on any other pending matters. He insisted that the case should not be delayed because of unrelated issues.
He clearly stated,
“This decision does not depend on anything else except your lordships’ judgment.”
This case is crucial for the Uddhav Thackeray-led faction as it directly affects their ability to contest in the upcoming municipal elections under their preferred name and symbol.
The dispute over the original Shiv Sena name and the bow-and-arrow symbol began after the party split in 2022. The faction led by Eknath Shinde, now backed by the BJP, was given the original name and symbol by the Election Commission, which the Uddhav faction is challenging in court.
With only four weeks left before the State Election Commission announces the elections, the Thackeray faction is seeking a clear judicial decision to avoid confusion among voters and to maintain their political identity.
Case Title: Sunil Prabhu v. Eknath Shinde & Ors. | Special Leave Petition (Civil) No. 1644-1662 of 2024
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