The Supreme Court’s ruling that the Election Commission would decide on the dispute between the Shiv Sena factions led by Uddhav Thackeray and Eknath Shinde evoked a mixed response, with chief minoster welcoming the apex court’s court and Sena leader Aaditya Thackeray saying the SC order was not a relief to the Shinde camp.
While hearing the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena’petition seeking to restrain the Election Commission from deciding on the allotment of party’s bow-and-arrow symbol, a SC Constitutional bench headedy DY Chandrachud said that there would not be any stay on the Election Commission's proceedings to decide as to who was the "real" Shiv Sena — Eknath Shinde or Uddhav Thackeray,
Talking to media persons after the apex court allowed the EC to decide on the Sena symbol matter, chief minister Eknath Shinde said: “It is a big relief fr that the Supreme Court has rejected the Shiv Sena’s plea to stay the proceeding in the paty symbol case. The SC verdict has cleared decks for deciding on the dispute between my group and the Thakeray group over the party symbol”
“In a democracy, the majority counts and we have that majority in the assembly, a majority of the MPs are supporting us. All decisions taken in the country are based on the Constitution, laws and procedures… We have not done anything to flout any laws and we have formed this government also on the basis of the laws. We were expecting this decision,” Shinde said, addng that his group had full faith in the Election Commission.
In a relating development, NCP leader and MP Supriya said: “ It is unformate that the two factions of the Shiv Sena are slugging it out in the courts as to whom the party symbol belonged to. Lat e Thackeray must be turning in hi grave seeing the ongoing litigation before the Supreme Court and Election Commission.
Maharashtra Congress’ chief spokesperson Atul Londhe said the Supreme Court’s ruling would not benefit the Shinde camp much.
“Basically, the issue of eligibility of 16 MLAs including Eknath Shinde has not been resolved yet, the hanging sword of disqualification remains on them and the existing government in the state is unconstitutional, and until their eligibility is decided, the Shinde camp has no right to take any constitutional decision,” Londhe said.