New Delhi: The Election Commission of India (ECI) is learned to have given the Uddhav Thackrey faction of the Shiv Sena, 15 more days to submit documents in support of its claim on the party's election symbol. Last month, the Election Commission has asked the rival factions of the Shiv Sena, led by Thackrey and Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, to submit documents by August 8 in support of their claims on the party's election symbol-a "bow and arrow".
Following a request by the Thackeray faction, the EC has now asked it to submit the documents by August 23, sources said. Responding to a question on the plea by the Thackeray faction to postpone the hearing on the matter by four weeks, sources said that the EC has only asked for documents and the hearing will come later.
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The poll body had asked the two factions to submit documents, including letters of support from the legislatures and organizational wings of the Shiv Sena, and their written statements on the matter. Shinde and 39 other Shiv Sena legislators had revolted against the party leadership in June this year, leading to the collapse of the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government.
The MVA dispensation consisted of the Shiv Sena, the Congress, and the Nationalist Congress Party. The Shinde camp joined hands with the BJP and formed the government in Maharashtra subsequently. Shinde took oath as chief minister on June 30 along with BJP leader and deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis. (With Agency Inputs)
