Supreme Court Reviews Election Symbol Dispute in Shiv Sena Split
The Supreme Court on October 6, 2026, examined whether the Election Commission of India (ECI) correctly allocated the bow-and-arrow symbol to the Eknath Shinde faction of Shiv Sena. The court questioned the validity of using legislative strength as a basis for symbol allocation, particularly amid pending disqualification proceedings against some MLAs. Senior advocate Neeraj Kishan Kaul defended the ECI's approach, citing that 40 MLAs from the Shinde faction represented 76% of votes in the 2019 Maharashtra Assembly elections. The hearing, which remains inconclusive, will continue on October 7, 2026. The case arises from challenges to the ECI's recognition of the Shinde faction as the official party and the Speaker's decision not to disqualify its MLAs.
Published 11 hours ago • 06 Oct 2026, 07:09 PM IST