For the impending Andheri East assembly byelection, the Election Commission assigned the names “Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray)”. And “Balasahebanchi Shiv Sena” to the factions commanded by Thackeray and Eknath Shinde, respectively. The EC had requested that the two parties submit three potential names for the party by Monday. Along with as many free symbols that may be used by each group.
The Thackeray-led Sena was given a burning torch as its party emblem by the polling organisation. However, it refused to award the Shinde faction a party emblem and requested for a new set of symbols instead.
The Thackeray-led Shiv Sena group had earlier in the day filed a petition with the Delhi High Court. Asking it to overturn the Electoral Commission of India’s (ECI) decision to freeze the party name and election symbol. The Shiv Sena’s “bow and arrow” insignia had been frozen by the EC in anticipation of the approaching by-election in Maharashtra, and both Thackeray’s side and the group commanded by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde were forbidden from using it.
Thackeray’s appeal, on the other hand, contested ECI’s October 8 ruling, claiming it was made in blatant defiance of natural justice principles and without giving the parties any opportunity for a hearing. ECI and Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknathrao Sambhaji Shinde were included as parties in the petition.
- Advertisement -
Uddhav Thackeray: The petition cited the dispute over the AIADMK’s
The apex poll panel designated the flaming torch as the Thackeray faction’s party symbol. But has yet to designate a symbol for the Shinde faction. Instead, the ECI requested that the Balasahebanchi Shiv Sena submit a new list of symbols.
This comes after Thackeray petitioned the Delhi High Court to overturn an ECI order from October 8. Freezing the party name Shiv Sena and its election symbol, the bow and arrow.
The petition cited the dispute over the AIADMK’s ‘two leaves’ election symbol as well as similar wranglings in the JD (U) and the Samajwadi party. Claiming that in all of these cases. The order freezing or refusing to freeze the symbol was passed by the ECI only after hearing all parties.
According to the petition, the bow and arrow symbol has been inextricably linked with the Thackeray-led Shiv Sena since 1966.
