SC to deliver verdict on Shiv Sena poll symbol row on Oct 8

The final decision of the Supreme Court on the Shiv Sena’s election symbol will be taken by a constitution bench headed by Justice Suryakant, whose verdict is likely to be delivered on October 8, according to sources in the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena.

The hearing of this constitution bench will be held from August 19 to September 10, after which its final verdict is likely to be delivered on October 8, sources said.

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In July, a bench comprising Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi had stated that the issue was pending for long and uncertainty cannot be allowed to continue.

The Shiv Sena party symbol dispute case was originally scheduled to be heard on August 20, but on August 1, the Supreme Court postponed hearing of the case.

Senior lawyer Devdutt Kamat who represents the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena had requested an urgent hearing of the case, but the Supreme Court did not accept his request and refused to hold an urgent hearing.

The Supreme Court’s verdict in the case is widely expected to affect the political fortunes of the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena as well as the Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, especially since elections to the local civic bodies of Maharashtra are scheduled to be held after Diwali.

Speaking about his party’s plea before the Supreme Court against the Maharashtra state assembly speaker’s decision to allot the ‘bow and arrow’ symbol to the rival Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, Uddhav Thackeray said on Wednesday, “It has been three-four years and one will never know when it (democracy) will die. If justice is not delivered, then democracy will die. So whatever bench it is, please look into it. This is my request with folded hands.”

“The Marathi manoos (Marathi speaking person) used to be treated as an outsider (before the undivided Shiv Sena was formed in 1966). Efforts are being made to create such circumstances again, to see whether a bite can be taken out of Mumbai and Maharashtra, whether it is through the imposition of Hindi language or reducing the importance of Mumbai and Maharashtra. Such efforts have not stopped,” former CM Uddhav Thackeray said on Wednesday, at the 65th foundation day of ‘Marmik’, a Marathi magazine started by Shiv Sena founder Bal Thackeray and his brother Shrikant Thackeray.

“The work of Shiv Sena and ‘Marmik’ magazine will not end till the time we don’t finish off those who indulge in such efforts,” Uddhav Thackeray said.

“Whether it is feeding pigeons or the Supreme Court’s order on stray dogs, unnecessary controversies are deliberately being created only to divert people’s attention from pressing issues,” Uddhav Thackeray said.