SC to hear plea against allotment of Sena name

The Supreme Court Monday agreed to hear on July 31 Uddhav Thackeray's plea against the Election Commission's order allotting the name 'Shiv Sena' and the undivided party's bow and arrow election symbol to the Eknath Shinde faction.

A bench of Chief Justice DY Chandrachud and Justice PS Narasimha said the matter was listed for hearing after advocate Amit Anand Tiwari sought its urgent listing.

"It is listed on July 31, we will hear it on that day," the bench said and allowed Tiwari to file a rejoinder to the reply submitted by the Shinde faction.

The top court had on February 22 sought the response of the Shinde faction and the Election Commission on Thackeray's plea. In his application, Thackeray said the matter required urgent hearing as the impugned order is completely illegal in view of the recent Constitution bench judgment of the top court pronounced on May 11.

The apex court, in a unanimous judgment, had held the then Maharashtra Governor B S Koshyari's direction to Thackeray for a trust vote was illegal.

It, however, said the court cannot reinstate Uddhav Thackeray as the chief minister because he had resigned instead of facing the trust vote.

Speaking to reporters in Amravati, Thackeray said on Monday the Election Commission (EC) can allot an electoral symbol to a party, but it does not have powers to change the name of a party.

"Further, elections are imminent, and respondent No. 1 (Shinde) is illegally using the party name and symbol," the application seeking urgent listing of the matter said.

It said on February 22, while issuing notice in the matter, the top court had directed it to be listed after three weeks. However, it did not get listed.