new delhi: Hearing a petition by former Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray against the Election Commission's interim order freezing Shiv Sena's name and election symbol, the Delhi High Court on Monday asked why it should not wait for the final decision of the poll panel on the dispute between the party factions.
Justice Sanjeev Narula observed that the court would ask the EC to decide the issue of allotting the 'bow and arrow' symbol in a time-bound manner and both factions can put their contention before the election panel.
Advocate Sidhant Kumar, appearing for Election Commision, said that it was a constitutional body and a specific timeline to arrive at a decision may not be directed.
Senior counsel appearing for the rival faction leader Eknath Shinde claimed that there was no need for the high court's interference at this stage when the "(interim) direction has worked itself out" after the conclusion of the Andheri East assembly bye-poll and now the "ball is in the Election Commission's court."
Earlier this year, Shinde had raised a banner of revolt against Thackeray, accusing him of entering into an "unnatural alliance" with the Congress and NCP. Over 40 of the Shiv Sena's 55 MLAs had supported Shinde, forcing the resignation of Thackeray from the post of Maharashtra Chief Minister.
The Election Commission (EC), in its October 8 interim order, had barred the Shiv Sena factions led by Thackeray and Shinde from using the party name and election symbol in the Andheri East assembly bye-poll.