Thackeray vs Shinde: EC freezes 'bow and arrow' symbol for both Sena factions in Andheri East bypolls

New Delhi: Amid row over Shiv Sena's 'Bow and Arrow' symbol claim, Election Commission (EC) on Saturday froze the symbol barring both the rival camps in the party from using it in the upcoming Assembly bypoll slated for November 3.
EC passed the interim order saying in Andheri East bye polls neither of the two groups shall be permitted to use the symbol "Bow and Arrow", reserved for "Shiv Sena".
The Commission's ruling came amid the ongoing symbol war between the Uddhav Thackeray camp and rival Eknath Shinde camp.
In its order, the Commission said, "In order to place both the rival groups on even keel and to protect their rights and interests, and going by the past precedence, the Commission hereby makes the following Interim Order, to cover the purpose of the current Bye-elections and to continue till the final determination of the dispute in the matter in terms of Para 15 of the Symbols Order:- Neither of the two groups led by Eknathrao Sambhaji Shinde (Petitioner) and other led by Uddhav Thackeray (Respondent) be permitted to use the name of the party Shiv Sena simplicitor."
"Neither of the two groups shall also be permitted to use the symbol "Bow and Arrow", reserved for "Shivsenal'; Both the groups shall be known by such names as they may choose for their
respective groups, including, if they so desire, linkage with their parent party
Shivsena; and Both the groups shall also be allotted such different symbols as they may choose
from the list of free symbols notified by the Election Commission for the purposes of the current bye-elections," added the Commission.
Eknath Shinde took oath as the Chief Minister of Maharashtra on June 30 earlier this year.
This came after a faction of Shiv Sena under Shinde shifted the alliance to Bharatiya Janata Party BJP from MVA.Since then, Maharashtra has been witnessing a tussle between both the factions of Sena as to who is the real inheritor of the legacy of Bal Thackeray. (ANI)