EC asks Uddhav, Shinde to 'submit documentary evidence' to prove majority

The Election Commission has asked the rival factions of the Shiv Sena led by Uddhav Thackeray and Eknath Shinde to submit documents by August 8 in support of their claims on the election symbol of the political outfitElection Commission sources said the two sides have been asked to submit documents including letters of support from the legislative and organisational wings of the party and the written statements of the rival factionsThey said the requirement were made in line with the Paragraph 15 of the Election Symbols Reservation and Allotment Order 1968Also read Ready for fight over symbol party Shiv Sena leader Sanjay RautEarlier this week the Shinde faction of the Shiv Sena had written to the Commission seeking allocation of the partys bow and arrow election symbol to it citing the recognition granted to them in the Lok Sabha and the Maharashtra AssemblyThe Shiv Sena split last month when more than twothirds of the partys MLAs withdrew their support from the Maharashtra government led by Uddhav Thackeray throwing their lot with ShindeShinde was sworn in as Maharashtra Chief Minister on June 30 with support of the BJPOn Tuesday last at least 12 of the 18 Shiv Sena members in the Lok Sabha expressed lsquono confidencersquo in floor leader Vinayak Raut and declared Rahul Shewale as their floor leaderLok Sabha Speaker recognised Shewale as the leader the same dayTo ensure that neither faction is deprived of information the poll panel has also directed exchange of documents submitted by the two groups over the past two daysldquoThis is the initial step checking may come much laterrdquo explained a former EC officialThe claim over the symbol assumes significance as the Supreme Court had on Wednesday directed the Maharashtra State Election Commission to notify elections to local bodies within two weeksElections are due in several civic bodies in Maharashtra including the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation BMC which would indicate which Sena faction gets the popular supportEarlier the Uddhav Thackeray faction of the Shiv Sena had written to the EC requesting it to hear its views before making any decision on representations for claims over the party name and its poll symbolThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever