Election commission gives Uddhav Thackeray 21 hour deadline to respond after Shinde claims Shiv Sena symbol

The Election Commission of India has asked the Uddhav Thackeray-led faction of Shiv Sena to respond by Saturday afternoon after the Eknath Shinde-faction staked their claim to the party's bow and arrow poll symbol. In a letter, the Election Commission has asked Uddhav Thackeray to furnish comments along with requisite documents latest by 2.00 pm on October 8, Saturday.

The poll panel's directive to the Uddhav faction comes after the Shinde camp submitted a memorandum seeking allocation of Shiv Sena's symbol in view of the upcoming bypoll in the Andheri East constituency. The letter also stated that in case no reply is received from the Uddhav camp, the poll panel will take "appropriate action in the matter accordingly.

For the unversed, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has written to the Election Commission, asking it to urgently allot the Shiv Sena's bow and arrow symbol to his faction in view of the coming by-election in Andheri East. The BJP will contest the seat on behalf of the ruling alliance. But Mr Shinde has pointed out that the Uddhav Thackeray faction of the Sena might use the symbol in absence of any decision by the poll body. In his petition, Mr Shinde said the symbol is necessary for the upcoming by-election and he has concern that the Thackeray faction "will illegally and unlawfully make an attempt to field a candidate and claim the allotted symbol of SSPP".