New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday referred to a five-judge Constitution Bench the petitions filed by the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena and Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. The pleas raise several questions related to the merger, disqualification, and defection following the new Maharashtra government formation by Shinde’s group and BJP alliance after the Thackeray-led MVA government collapsed in June.
A bench headed by Chief Justice NV Ramana and comprising Justices Krishna Murari and Hima Kohli ordered the listing of petitions before the Constitution Bench on Thursday. It also directed the Election Commission not to pass any orders on the Shinde faction’s plea regarding it being considered “the real” Shiv Sena and being granted the party’s poll symbol.
“List the matter before the Constitution Bench the day after tomorrow and the bench will decide about the symbol related to the Election Commission proceeding at the beginning,” the bench said. The bench was hearing pending cases on the Maharashtra political crisis that led to the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government’s collapse.
