New Delhi: The Election Commission (EC) on Friday in an order stated that the celebration identify “Shiv Sena” and the image “Bow and Arrow” might be retained by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led faction.
The EC noticed that the present structure of the Shiv Sena on which former Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray was inserting reliance is undemocratic.
“While applying the `Test of party Constitution`, the Commission found that the party constitution on which the respondent (Uddhav Thackeray faction) was placing strong reliance is undemocratic,” stated the Commission in its 78-page order issued on Friday.
“The complete list of office bearers of various bodies was not provided to the Commission, whenever elections were held or appointments were made,” stated the Commission.
The EC noticed that amendments to the structure in 2018 had undone the act of introducing democratic norms within the `Party Constitution of 1999`, introduced by the late Bal Thackeray on the insistence of the Election Commission.
The EC order additionally famous that the undemocratic norms of the unique structure of Shiv Sena, which was not accepted by the Commission in 1999 have been introduced again in a surreptitious method, additional making the celebration akin to a fiefdom.
“The paradox of India being the world`s largest democracy and its political field being occupied by some parties which are being treated as fiefdoms is disconnecting. For a truly functioning democracy, it is important that one of the key stakeholders, which is the political parties, are run in a democratic manner and this in turn can be ensured only if the constitution being adopted by them does not allow concentration of power in the hands of a few,” stated the Election Commission in its order.
The EC additionally stated that the identify of `Balasahebanchi Shivsena` and the image of Two Swords and Shield, which was allotted to the petitioner by the use of the interim order will henceforth be frozen with speedy impact.
