The Supreme Court on Tuesday said it will hear on August 1 a fresh plea of the Uddhav Thackeray-led camp of the Shiv Sena seeking a stay on proceedings before the Election Commission to prove majority on an appeal from the Eknath Shinde group. A batch of cases relating to the recent political developments in Maharashtra is scheduled to come up on August 1.
Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, who appeared for the Thackeray group, mentioned the case before a bench of Chief Justice of India NV Ramana saying even as related issues are pending before the top court, the rebel camp is trying to make it infructuous by moving the Election Commission.
Sibal said till the apex court decides on the matter, the other side cannot go before the Election Commission.
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Senior advocate Neeraj Kishan Kaul, counsel for the Shinde group, said the issue before the Election Commission is completely different. “It is an intra-party thing as to who represents the party and the symbol. It has nothing to do with matters pending before the apex court,” Kaul said.
When the CJI asked what was the stage of proceedings before the EC, Kaul replied that notice has been issued for August 8. The bench then posted the matter along with other petitions pending before it.
{{/usCountry}}When the CJI asked what was the stage of proceedings before the EC, Kaul replied that notice has been issued for August 8. The bench then posted the matter along with other petitions pending before it.
{{/usCountry}}A day ago, Thackeray loyalist Subhash Desai moved the plea before the SC saying the Election Commission cannot decide the matter since cases are pending before the Supreme Court.
The EC asked the rival factions of the Shiv Sena to submit documents by August 8 to prove their majority and support their claims on the election symbol -- bow and arrow -- of the political outfit.
Shinde took oath as the Maharashtra chief minister on June 30 with support of the BJP a day after Thackeray resigned from the top job. Shinde's rebellion against the party led to the fall of Thackeray's coalition government in which the NCP and Congress were allies.
(With agency inputs)