EC has no authority to change political party’s name, says Uddhav Thackeray

AMRAVATI (MAHARASHTRA) — Reiterating that the ‘Shiv Sena’ name and party belongs to him, Shiv Sena-UBT President and former Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Monday asserted that the Election Commission (EC) has no authority to change its name.

The EC can allot the poll symbol to a party, but it has no powers to effect a name change of a political party, Thackeray contended, while speaking to the media here this afternoon.

He pointed out that the name ‘Shiv Sena’ was given by his grandfather, Keshav Sitaram Thackeray, alias Prabodhankar Thackeray and he would not allow anybody to “steal” it.

In June 2022, the Shiv Sena had split with one faction led by Eknath Shinde walking out and then forming the government with the Bharatiya Janata Party that month. In February this year, the EC had formalised the split and awarded the name ‘Shiv Sena’ and its symbol ‘Bow-and-Arrow’ to the breakaway faction led by CM Shinde.

The Thackeray group was allotted a modified name ‘Shiv Sena-Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray’ and the symbol of ‘Flaming Torch’, in the interim orders of the EC.

 “How can the ECI change the name of a political party? I shall not tolerate anybody trying to steal the party and its name…” thundered Thackeray.

The issue again came into prominence as the Supreme Court is expected to hear the Shiv Sena-UBT’s plea on July 31, challenging the EC’s February order on the party name-symbol.

The petition has contended that the EC’s order is completely illegal in view of the May 11 verdict of the SC Constitution Bench verdict on the Sena versus Sena case. The plea said that since elections are imminent, the Shinde group is illegally using the original party’s name and symbol, and sought an urgent hearing of the petition.