Election commission freezes Shiv Sena's ‘bow & arrow’ symbol ahead of bypoll

The Election Commission of India on Saturday froze the Shiv Sena's bow and arrow symbol amid a tussle between the factions led by Uddhav Thackeray and Eknath Shinde.

The poll body has asked the two factions to choose from among the symbols that are available and submit three options for their interim markers by 1 pm on October 10.With the symbol frozen, Uddhav Thackeray and his group will have to find a different name and symbol for the upcoming bypolls in Mumbai's Andheri (East). 

On Friday, the election commission had asked the Thackeray faction to respond by Saturday on rival Shinde group's claim on the party's "bow and arrow" election symbol in view of the upcoming assembly bypoll in the state. The commission's directive came after the Shinde faction submitted a memorandum seeking it be allocated the symbol as the Andheri East assembly bypoll is approaching.