New Delhi [India], July 2: The Supreme Court on Wednesday briefly heard a plea regarding the ongoing dispute between the Shiv Sena (UBT) and the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena factions over the official party symbol.
Appearing for Shiv Sena (UBT), counsel informed the Court that elections in Maharashtra are expected to be notified soon, and requested interim directions on the party symbol dispute to avoid confusion during the polls.
A bench of Justices M.M. Sundresh and K. Vinod Chandran, after reviewing the submissions, scheduled the matter for a detailed hearing on July 14.
The plea by Shiv Sena (UBT) challenges the Election Commission’s decision granting the ‘bow and arrow’ symbol to the Shinde faction. The party argued that with elections imminent, resolving the symbol issue beforehand is crucial, as symbols cannot be changed once polls are notified.
However, the bench questioned the urgency, noting that the dispute has been pending before the Court for two years. “If it’s pending for two years, then it’s our problem,” the bench remarked, signaling reluctance to expedite the matter.
In an earlier hearing on May 7, the Supreme Court had declined to hear the plea urgently, suggesting the UBT faction focus on the upcoming Maharashtra local body elections instead. At the time, Justice Kant had told Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal, representing Shiv Sena (UBT), that local body voters often do not prioritize symbols during voting.
The Supreme Court will now take up the matter on July 14.