NCP chief Sharad Pawar said – never seen such a decision of the Election Commission

Shiv Sena controversy: NCP chief Sharad Pawar said - never seen such a decision of the Election Commission

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar has also jumped into the fight between the two factions regarding the Shiv Sena. Pawar has questioned the Election Commission's decision to allot Shiv Sena's monopoly and election symbol to the Eknath Shinde faction.

"This is an example of how an institution can be misused. We have never seen such a decision by the Election Commission," he said.

NCP chief Pawar said, "It is the responsibility of some organizations to treat everyone fairly. Today, the Election Commission and other organizations are giving the same decisions that the ruling government wants. Today, the organizations working under the leadership of Narendra Modi in the country It seems that power will always remain in his hands.

He termed the Election Commission's decision to give Shiv Sena's name and election symbol to the Shinde faction as a big attack on political parties.

Pawar had earlier advised his colleague Uddhav Thackeray to go ahead and pick a new symbol.

He had said, "Once the decision (by the Election Commission) is given there cannot be any discussion. It (losing the old symbol) is not going to have much effect as people will accept (the new symbol) It's just that this matter will remain in discussion only for the next 15-20 days."

Recently, the Election Commission handed over the Shiv Sena's name and election symbol 'bow and arrow' to the Shinde faction while ruling in favor of it. Thackeray has challenged this decision of the Election Commission in the Supreme Court.

In fact, after Shinde's rebellion in June 2022, Shiv Sena was divided into two factions of him and Uddhav Thackeray. Both the factions had presented their respective claims on Shiv Sena and the matter had reached the Election Commission.

Today the Supreme Court heard the petition filed by Thackeray against the decision of the Election Commission and the bench of Chief Justice (CJI) DY Chandrachud refused to stay the order of the Commission.

The CJI bench said, "The order of the Election Commission is limited to the election symbol of the party and we cannot stay this order. Status quo will be maintained in this matter and the Court is ready to hear the special petition."

In the petition filed in the Supreme Court, Thackeray has said that the matter of cancellation of membership of MLAs of Shinde faction is pending in the Supreme Court and the Election Commission has given this order without taking a decision on it, so it should be canceled.

The Supreme Court has issued notices to Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and the Election Commission in the matter, seeking their reply within two weeks and now the next hearing on the matter will be held after two weeks.