Thu May 08 03:49:36 UTC 2025: **Supreme Court Delays Shiv Sena Symbol Dispute, Advises Focus on Local Polls**
NEW DELHI (May 8, 2025) – The Supreme Court of India on Wednesday adjourned a plea filed by the Uddhav Thackeray faction of the Shiv Sena challenging the allocation of the party symbol, the bow and arrow, to the Eknath Shinde faction. The court suggested the Thackeray faction concentrate on upcoming local body elections in Maharashtra before revisiting the symbol dispute.
Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, representing the Thackeray faction (Shiv Sena UBT), argued that the Assembly Speaker’s decision to grant the symbol to the Shinde faction based on legislative majority contradicted a previous Supreme Court ruling. He stressed the symbol’s significance, particularly in rural areas, for the upcoming local body elections.
However, the court questioned the widespread use of party symbols in local elections, noting that the matter could only be heard after the summer break due to time constraints. The justices suggested the Thackeray faction focus on the elections, which have been delayed for over five years, and consider imposing conditions on symbol usage similar to those in the recent NCP symbol dispute. The court indicated it would consider the matter further after the elections are completed.
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