Shiv Sena (UBT) Seeks Urgent Hearing Of Symbol Dispute Ahead Of Maharashtra Local Elections; Supreme Court Lists On July 14

The Supreme Court on Wednesday (July 2) agreed to list on July 14 an application filed by Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) seeking interim reliefs in  its petition challenging the Election Commission of India's decision to recognise the Eknath Shinde group as the official Shiv Sena and grant them the 'bow and arrow' election symbol.

Senior Advocate Devadatt Kamat, for the UBT group, mentioned the matter before a partial working days bench comprising Justice MM Sundresh and Justice K Vinod Chandran, seeking urgent listing either this week or next week.

However, the bench was not inclined to list the matter during the partial working days. The counsel appearing for Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde) submitted that Justice Surya Kant's bench, on May 7, had turned down the request for urgent hearing when the same mentioning was made. Kamat however said that Justice Kant's bench had allowed the matter to be mentioned during the vacations.

Kamat cited the impending Maharashtra local body elections, which are going to be notified pursuant to the Supreme Court's order on May 6, as the urgency. He said that the application has been filed seeking interim arrangements similar to those the Court ordered in the case of the NCP dispute. In the NCP dispute, the Supreme Court had directed the Ajit Pawar group to advertise that their use of the official symbol was a sub-judice issue.

Justice Sundresh however expressed disinclination to list the matter during the partial working days. When Justice Sundresh asked what was the urgency, Kamat said that it was the issue relating to the right of the people to choose.

Ultimately, after much persuasion by Kamat, the bench agreed to list the matter on July 14, the day when the Court reopens for regular sitting.