Delhi, 15th November 2022: The Delhi High Court rejected the Thackeray group’s plea and dealt another blow. The Thackeray group had challenged the Central Election Commission’s decision to freeze the party name and election symbol by running to the Delhi High Court. But the Delhi High Court rejected this petition. Also, the Election Commission has been ordered to take an urgent decision in this regard. The court also clarified that this decision is within the jurisdiction of the Election Commission.
After the split in the Shiv Sena, both the Eknath Shinde group and the Uddhav Thackeray group claimed the party name Shiv Sena and the election symbol bow and arrow. Based on the written statement and evidence submitted by both groups, the Central Election Commission on October 8 took a temporary decision to freeze the party name and election symbol. Shiv Sena’s Uddhav Thackeray faction challenged this interim decision in the Delhi High Court. The court gave its decision today.
“I am the party chief and I have run the party for 30 years. The Central Election Commission’s decision to freeze the name of the party Shiv Sena and the bow and arrow has been taken only based on prima facie issues. This premise may not be satisfactory. Therefore, the Election Commission cannot freeze the party name and election symbol. Due to the Commission’s decision, I cannot use the name and symbol of the party fixed by my father,” argued the Shiv Sena’s Uddhav Thackeray faction in the Delhi High Court on Monday.
It was claimed on behalf of the Thackeray group that the temporary decision of the Central Election Commission to freeze the party name and symbol is illegal and all the affairs of the party have come to a standstill. Uddhav Thackeray and his party are facing serious consequences for this decision. It was also argued on behalf of the Thackeray group that the Central Election Commission cannot decide to freeze the party name and election symbol without a thorough study of all the documents and related dimensions.
After the rebellion in the Shiv Sena, a hearing is pending in the Supreme Court on the disqualification of 16 MLAs including Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. Therefore, the situation between 19th July and 8th October (whose Shiv Sena?) has not been decided even on issues like which group has the majority. Therefore, the issue of how the Central Election Commission can decide to freeze the party name and election symbol was also raised by lawyers Vivek Singh, Devyani Gupta and Tanvi Anand on behalf of the Thackeray group.