According to an interim order from the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Saturday, neither of the two factions would be permitted to use the “Bow & Arrow” symbol, which is reserved for the “Shiv Sena” party.
Additionally, separate symbols will be assigned to each group from the list of free symbols made available by the Election Commission for the upcoming by-elections slated for November 3.
Shiv Sena’s ‘Bow & Arrow’ symbol claim | Election Commission of India passes interim order, says in Andheri East bye polls neither of the two groups shall be permitted to use the symbol “Bow & Arrow”, reserved for “Shivsena”. pic.twitter.com/QtC9iNhZ0X
— ANI (@ANI) October 8, 2022
In its order, the Commission stated ” The commission hereby makes the following Interim Order, to cover the purpose of the current Bye-elections and to continue until the final ruling of the dispute in the matter in terms of Paragraph 15 of the Symbols Order, in order to place both the rival groups on an equal footing and to protect their rights and interests, and going by the past precedent:- Neither of the two groups led by Eknathrao Sambhaji Shinde (Petitioner) and Uddhav Thackeray (Respondent) shall be permitted to use the Bow and Arrow symbol, which is only allowed to be used by “Shivsena”.
“Both groups will receive different symbols from the list of free symbols notified by the Election Commission for the purposes of the current bye-elections, and they will be known by the names they choose for their respective groups, if they desire linkage to their parent party, the Shiv Sena,” the Commission added.
The Eknath Shinde faction of the Shiv Sena met the election commission on Friday to assert ownership of the party’s “bow and arrow” election symbol. Uddhav Thackeray had received a letter from the EC requesting a response to the claim by Saturday.
The Uddhav Thackeray faction on Saturday termed the Election Commission’s order barring both the Thackeray and Eknath Shinde factions from using the party name and election symbol in the coming Andheri East Assembly bypoll as “injustice”. On the other hand, the group led by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde regarded the EC order as appropriate.
According to Ambadas Danve, Leader of the Opposition in the Maharashtra Legislative Council and a Thackeray loyalist, the Election Commission should have made a decision holistically after considering all the factors rather than giving an interim decision for the by-election. “This is injustice,” he said to PTI.
The commission’s ruling came amid the ongoing tussle between the Uddhav Thackeray camp and the ruling Eknath Shinde camp over the party’s symbol.
On October 5, both Uddhav Thackeray and Eknath Shinde engaged in a war of words, with Thackeray calling Eknath Shinde ‘Kattappa’ and Shinde hitting back. During a speech, Thackeray called Shinde ‘Katappa’ and said, “The only thing I feel bad and angry about is that when I was admitted to the hospital, the people whom I gave the responsibility (of the state) became ‘Katappa’ and betrayed us. They were cutting me and thinking that I will never return from the hospital.”
On this Shinde responded while addressing a huge crowd on Dussehra celebrations, “They call me ‘Katappa’. I want to tell you, that even ‘Katappa’ had self-respect, and was not double standard like you.”
Maharashtra | They call me ‘Katappa’. I want to tell you, that even ‘Katappa’ had self-respect, was not double standard like you: CM Eknath Shinde responds to Uddhav Thackeray’s comment pic.twitter.com/3erxU2RX9K
— ANI (@ANI) October 5, 2022
Shinde had revolted against Uddhav Thackeray for forming an “unnatural alliance” with Congress and NCP. Thackeray was forced to step down as Maharashtra Chief Minister after more than 40 of the Shiv Sena’s 55 MLAs supported Shinde. Shinde, who later claimed to be the leader of the original Shiv Sena, received backing from 12 of the Shiv Sena’s 18 Lok Sabha members.
