Sena symbol, name: Shinde-led faction presents its case, Uddhav's reply sought by Jan 17

The Shiv Sena faction led by former Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray has time till January 17 to respond to claim of the faction helmed by current chief minister Eknath Shinde to the Shiv Sena party name and the bow and arrow election symbol, people familiar with the matter said.

The Election Commission of India in October last year barred the Sena factions from using the registered party name and election symbol ahead of the Andheri East assembly bypoll on November 3 till it decided on the rightful claimant of the original party name and symbol. “The Shinde-led faction concluded their argument today,” a person familiar with the matter said. “The procedure states that the commission will first listen to the petitioner, followed by the respondent. The Thackeray group has sought time to respond.”

The election watchdog has provided both factions time to make their case.

Supreme Court to start hearing pleas on February 14.

In another development, the Supreme Court on Tuesday said it will begin hearing on February 14 a clutch of petitions pertaining to the Maharashtra political crisis triggered by the division in the Shiv Sena last year.

The petitions, filed by both factions led by chief minister Eknath Shinde and his predecessor, Uddhav Thackeray, pertain to several issues, including one pertaining to the role of a speaker in the event of a crisis in the assembly when his own removal was sought.