[Friends turn Foes: Thackeray and Shinde in a file photo.]
New Delhi/Mumbai: Amid the tussle between the two factions of Shiv Sena led by Uddhav Thackeray and Eknath Shinde, the Election Commission on Saturday froze the party's Bow and Arrow symbol.
The EC decision has invited harsh reactions from lawyers, and also forcing Thackeray and Shinde factions to go into damage control mode.
The Election Commission in an interim order on Saturday, said:
"The Commission hereby makes the following Interim Order, to cover the purpose of the current by-elections and to continue till the final determination of the dispute into the matter."
It said that neither of the two groups led by Eknath Shinde and other led by Uddhav Thackeray be permitted to use the name of the party "Shiv Sena" and neither of the two groups shall also be permitted to use the symbol "Bow & Arrow", reserved for "Shiv Sena".
"Both the groups shall be known by such names as they may choose for their respective groups, including, if they so desire, linkage with their parent party 'Shiv Sena'; and both the groups shall also be allotted such different symbols as they may choose from the list of free symbols notified by the Election Commission for the purpose of the current by-elections," the poll panel said.
The Commission has asked both the groups to furnish, latest by 1 p.m. on October 10, the names of their groups by which they may be recognised by the Commission and to this end, give three options in the order of preference, anyone of which may be approved by the Commission.
They have also been asked to furnish choices of symbols which may be allotted to the candidates.
"They may indicate the names of three free symbols, in the order of their preference, anyone of which may be allotted to their candidates by the Commission," said the Election Commission.
Following the EC interim order, Uddhav Thackeray and Eknath Shinde both called a meeting of their respective group Sunday to decide the new party name and symbol.
They are rushing for the official recognition of the new party name and symbol so as to be ready before hand for the ensuing Civic Elections in Mumbai and other parts of the state.
Sources close to Thackeray said he has already replied to the poll panel with a list of three names and symbols for the upcoming bye-election in Mumbai's Andheri East.
'Shiv Sena Balasaheb Thackeray' is the first choice for the name and 'Shiv Sena Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray' is the second pick, they said.
Thackeray has asked for Trishul (trident) as its first choice of symbol, and rising sun as the second option.
Shinde faction is likely to submit its reply to the poll panel after its meeting to be held at 07:00 pm tonight.
Meanwhile, Supreme Court Lawyer and independent MP, Kapil Sibal slammed the Election Commission of India (ECI) for its interim order on the feud between the two Shiv Sena factions, saying that it amounts to "freezing democracy".
"Election Commission Freezes Sena Election symbol Amounts to "freezing" Democracy The "bow and arrow" belongs to the real Shiv Sena led by Udhav. The "Defectors Platter" for serving the BJP belongs to Shinde's faction," said Sibal in his tweets on Sunday.
"Election Commission Behind the scenes is the Government's submission. Upfront they call it the Election Commission! Shame on Institutions who do the Government's bidding! (sic)", Sibal added.
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