The Supreme Court will also hear the NCP faction dispute the following day as both cases involve overlapping issues of party identity and legislative majority.
New Delhi | Undercover Editor News agency | November 12, 2025:
The Supreme Court on Wednesday fixed January 21, 2026, for the final hearing on petitions filed by the Uddhav Thackeray-led faction of the Shiv Sena challenging the Election Commission’s February 2023 order that allotted the iconic ‘bow and arrow’ symbol to the faction led by Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.
A Bench of Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi announced that the court will dedicate three hours each to hear arguments from both factions in the much-awaited political and legal showdown that could redefine the future of Maharashtra’s dominant regional party.
The Bench further informed that it will take up a similar dispute involving the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) the very next day, on January 22, given that both matters revolve around the core question of who represents the “real” political party after a split.
Uddhav Camp Seeks Urgent Hearing Amid Local Polls
Senior advocate Devadatt Kamat, representing the Uddhav Thackeray faction, urged the court to expedite the hearing, citing the upcoming local body elections in Maharashtra.
Justice Surya Kant, however, remarked wryly that political parties in India are “always in election mode,” whether for national, state, or local contests — signaling the court’s intention to proceed in a structured manner.
On the other hand, senior advocates Mukul Rohatgi and Neeraj Kishan Kaul appeared for the Shinde faction, defending the Election Commission’s decision that recognized their camp as the legitimate Shiv Sena.
Long-Pending Case Nears Closure
The matter has been lingering since February 17, 2023, when the Election Commission of India (ECI) ruled in favor of the Shinde-led group, granting it the ‘Shiv Sena’ name and symbol after the 2022 rebellion that toppled the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government.
In July 2024, the Supreme Court had emphasized that the dispute cannot remain unresolved indefinitely, noting the need for finality before major elections in the state.
The Uddhav Thackeray faction argues that the ECI’s reliance on legislative majority—rather than organizational strength and ideological continuity—violates the principles outlined in the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968.
The Thackeray camp also contends that Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar’s decision to hand over the party name and symbol to the Shinde group was contrary to the Supreme Court’s own Constitution Bench verdict on defections.
Political Stakes High in Maharashtra
The ruling by the Speaker earlier this year had fortified Eknath Shinde’s position as Chief Minister, with the BJP and NCP (Ajit Pawar group) forming the coalition government.
In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the Shinde-led Shiv Sena secured 7 seats, while in the Maharashtra Assembly elections, the BJP won 132, Shinde’s Sena 57, and Ajit Pawar’s NCP 41
By December 2024, Devendra Fadnavis returned as Maharashtra’s Chief Minister, with Shinde and Pawar serving as his deputies — cementing the Mahayuti alliance’s dominance in state politics.
The upcoming Supreme Court verdict, therefore, is poised to not only decide the symbol and identity of the Shiv Sena but also reshape Maharashtra’s political balance ahead of the 2025 civic body polls and beyond.
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