From Our Bureau
NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Tuesday fixed a hearing the next Monday on the pending cases concerning a fresh plea by Uddhav Thackeray faction of the Shiv Sena against the Election Commission proceedings to decide who is the real Sena on a petition by the group led by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.
A Bench comprising Chief Justice of India N V Ramana and Justices Krishna Murari and Hima Kohli tagged the fresh plea with the pending cases concerning Shiv Sena and fixed the hearing on senior advocate Kapil Sibal’s plea that any EC decision will render infructuous the matters pending before the top court.
Appearing for the Thackeray faction, Sibal sought stay of the ongoing proceedings before the poll panel lest they impact the SC hearing in the case.
Senior advocate N K Kaul, appearing for the Shinde faction, however, asserted that these are completely different issues. He said the Election Commission is dealing with the intra-party thing as to who represents the Shiv Sena and who owns its symbol and it has nothing to do with the pending case on the disqualification of the MLAs pending before the Speaker.
He said the EC has only issued notices for August 8.
Recently, the poll panel asked the rival factions of the Shiv Sena led by Thackeray and Shinde to submit documents by August 8 in support of their claims on the election symbol — bow and arrow — of the political outfit. The poll panel sources had said the two sides have been asked to submit documents, including letters of support from the legislative and organisational wings of the party and the written statements of rival factions.
Recently, the poll panel asked the rival factions of the Shiv Sena led by Thackeray and Shinde to submit documents by August 8 in support of their claims on the election symbol — bow and arrow — of the political outfit. The poll panel sources had said the two sides have been asked to submit documents, including letters of support from the legislative and organisational wings of the party and the written statements of rival factions.
