Symbols at Stake: Maharashtra's Political Identity Crisis

The Supreme Court has directed the Uddhav Thackeray-led faction of Shiv Sena to prioritize local body elections over symbol disputes. This recommendation follows a plea against the Maharashtra assembly speaker's allocation of the bow and arrow symbol to the Eknath Shinde-led faction.

The court, represented by Justices Surya Kant and N Kotiswar Singh, emphasized that the matter could only be addressed after the summer recess due to a lack of time. Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for Shiv Sena (UBT), contended that the symbol's allocation by the speaker was unconstitutional, as it was done based on legislative majority.

Justice Kant questioned the relevance of party symbols in local polls, whereas Sibal insisted they greatly influence voter decisions. The bench also noted that local elections had not been conducted in Maharashtra for over five years, and suggested the focus should be on ensuring these elections are held rather than on immediate symbol disputes.

(With inputs from agencies.)