Maharashtra: Case on Shiv Sena split still undecided

CEC hears both parties, schedules next hearing on Jan 20, ahead of Uddhav Thackeray’s presidential term expiry

The hearing in the case on the split in the Shiv Sena was scheduled for  January 20 after the two factions argued before the Election Commission of India (CEC) on Tuesday. Before the session ended, the Uddhav Thackeray-led group told the CEC that the split was imaginary, because it was only a case of some MLAs leaving the party. It also demanded the physical inspection of members and scrutiny of the documents submitted by the rival group. The Eknath Shinde faction opposed it, saying that the papers were in order. The latter challenged the legality of the presidential position Thackeray has been holding in the party since the split.

The two factions had moved the poll body staking claim to the parent party and its official symbol. In the process that followed, the CEC froze the symbol and allotted new ones to the groups that were also barred from using the original name. A separate case about  disqualification of MLAs and other issues related to the government formation in June last year is being heard by the Supreme Court, which has slated the next hearing for February 14.

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In the last hearing, the Thackeray faction had asked the CEC to consider its plea for holding internal elections in order to facilitate reinstatement of Thackeray as the party chief for another five years. It had argued that the elections need to be held because Thackeray’s current term ends on January 23. The Shinde faction reiterated on Tuesday its challenge to the amendment to the party’s constitution that has paved the way for the presidential position which didn’t exist previously. In another appeal, the Thackeray faction urged the commission to not decide the case in haste but wait for the SC. It said, unlike the Andheri East by-election, there was no urgency this time.

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