The Supreme Court will hear on July 14, an application filed by the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray), seeking interim relief in its petition challenging the Election Commission of India (ECI)’s decision to recognise the Eknath Shinde group as the official Shiv Sena and granting them the ‘bow and arrow’ election symbol.
Senior Advocate Devadatt Kamat, representing the Shiv Sena (UBT), mentioned the matter before the partial working days Bench of Justice MM Sundresh and Justice K Vinod Chandran. He sought urgent hearing of the plea on the grounds that Maharashtra local body elections were going to be notified, pursuant to the Supreme Court’s order of May 6.
The Counsel representing Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde) submitted that a Bench led by Justice Surya Kant had turned down the request for urgent hearing on May 7.
Kamat replied that Justice Kant’s Bench had permitted the mentioning of the matter during the partial working days. He sought interim arrangements similar to those ordered by the Apex Court in the NCP dispute matter. In the NCP case, the top court of the country had directed the Ajit Pawar group to advertise that their use of the official symbol was a sub-judice issue.
When the Apex Court sought reason for urgency in the case, Kamat said the issue was related to the right of the people to choose.
The Bench then listed the matter for hearing on July 14, when the top court would reopen for regular proceedings.