Team Thackeray Challenges Election Body: Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena faction has urged the Supreme Court to restrain the Election Commission from deciding who has control of the party – be it Mr Thackeray or Chief Minister Eknath Shinde – unless the MLAs who rebelled against Mr Thackeray are arrested. Former Chief Minister of Maharashtra till the decision on disqualification is not taken.
Team Thackeray Challenges Election Body
Team Shinde, after forming the government with the support of the BJP, claims that it is the “real Shiv Sena”.
The Election Commission has asked both the Shiv Sena groups to produce documentary evidence and written statements by August 8 to prove who represents the Maharashtra party. Only after that the Election Commission will hear the matter.
Team Thackeray told the Supreme Court in a petition that the Election Commission cannot decide which group represents the Shiv Sena until there is clarity on the disqualification of the rebel Shiv Sena MLAs – which last month led a political campaign. I went from Gujarat to Assam to Goa – and removed Mr. Thackeray.
In its petition, Team Thackeray said that the Shinde group is trying to “illegally increase the numbers and create an artificial majority in the organisation”.
“The issue is already pending before the Supreme Court, and if the Election Commission proceeds on the matter, it will cause irreparable damage… the investigation of a matter which is sub-judice before the court, may interfere with judicial proceedings. And thus, in the petition filed by Shiv Sena General Secretary Subhash Desai, Team Thackeray said, it is contempt of court.
In a letter to the constitutional body responsible for allotting the party’s election symbols and conducting elections, Team Shinde claimed that it has the support of 40 out of 55 MLAs and 12 out of 18 Lok Sabha MPs.
“… Being the alleged president of the party,” the Election Commission said in a notice to two camps on Saturday, seeking documentary evidence to establish the party’s control by August 8.
The Election Commission said it would take the next step for an “adequate hearing” only after receiving documentary evidence and a written statement.
The Shinde camp had asked the Maharashtra Assembly Speaker to disqualify Team Thackeray. The Supreme Court on July 11, however, asked President Rahul Narvekar not to proceed with the petition seeking disqualification of Team Thackeray.
