The Election Commission of India (EC), in an order on Tuesday, fixed December 12 as the date for the first hearing in the dispute over the name and bow and arrow symbol of the two warring Shiv Sena factions.
The Commission had, in interim orders on October 8 and November 12, had called for details and documents from both factions by November 23 to bolster their respective claims under the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968.
On November 15, the Delhi High Court had dismissed former Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray’s plea against the EC’s October 8 decision this year of freezing the bow and arrow symbol.
The petition had also sought an expeditious decision on the part of the Commission regarding a decision on the dispute between Mr. Thackeray’s camp and the other led by incumbent Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.
While Mr. Thackeray’s faction had been allotted a flaming torch, Mr. Shinde’s was allowed a sword and shield as interim symbols for the Andheri East Assembly byelection won by the Thackeray camp earlier this month.
The election management body had asked both groupings to submit documentation to support their claim to the symbol by November 23 after which the EC had said it would hear the matter.
Both factions have now been further allowed time till 5 p.m. on December 9 to submit any further statement or documents regarding their respective claims, the Commission said.
