The Election Commission on Saturday asked Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde-led faction and former CM Uddhav Thackeray-led faction to submit documentary evidence to prove that they have the majority members in the Shiv Sena. Both groups have been instructed to testify by 1 p.m. on August 8
According to the reports, the Election Commission will conduct a hearing on the allegations and disagreements between the Shiv Sena factions after both the leaders submit the documentary evidence. The continuous feud over the ‘true Shiv Sena’ has reached the Election Commission, with both the Shinde and Thackeray factions writing to the poll body to stake their claims to the party.
Election Commission sends to Uddhav Thackeray camp the letter written to them (EC) by Eknath Shinde faction and Thackeray camp’s letter to the Shinde faction. Both factions are to file their replies by 8th August.
— ANI (@ANI) July 23, 2022
Anil Desai of Uddhav Thackeray’s camp had written to ECI several times, alleging that some people in the party had engaged in anti-party actions. He had also protested against Shinde for forming another political party with the titles ‘Shiv Sena’ or ‘Bala Saheb.’ Anil Desai in the letter meanwhile has requested that Eknath Shinde, Gulabrao Patil, Tanji Sawant, and Uday Samant be removed from their positions in the party.
The Eknath Shinde camp also has petitioned under Section 15 of the Election Symbols (Reservation & Allotment) Order, 1968, to identify the faction led by Eknath Shinde as Shiv Sena and to assign the party symbol “Bow and Arrow” to the unit. Shinde has also informed the Election Commission that he has the support of 40 out of 55 MLAs, different MLCs, and 12 out of 18 MPs.
According to the reports, when two factions claim the same emblem, the EC looks at how much support each faction has inside the party’s organization and its legislative branch. The process then carries on to identify key office bearers and decision-making bodies inside the political party, as well as how many of its members or office-holders support which factions.
“Given the above-mentioned facts and circumstances, it is evident that there is a split in the Shiv Sena- one group of which is being led by Eknathrao Sambhaji Shinde and the other group is being led by Uddhav Thackeray, both the groups claim to be the real Shiv Sena with their leader being the alleged President of Shiv Sena party,” the EC was quoted.
The Commission reportedly forwarded to the Uddhav Thackeray camp the letter written to them (EC) by the Eknath Shinde faction, as well as the Thackeray camp’s statement to the Shinde faction. The Election Commission has instructed both organizations to submit written responses and any supporting materials by 1:00 p.m. on August 8.
