Ban on Shiv Sena symbol: Central Election Commission notification for selection of new symbol

Ban on Shiv Sena symbol Central Election Commission has directed Uddhav Thackeray and Eknath Shinde faction to choose a new symbol.In an interim order passed late on Saturday (October 8) evening, the Election Commission of India (ECI) froze the well known ‘bow and arrow’ election symbol of the Shiv Sena until the competing claims for recognition by the two rival factions is decided. Ban on Shiv Sena symbol: Central Election Commission notification for selection of new symbol.

In the operative part of its order, the ECI said that (a) “neither of the two groups led by Sh. Eknathrao Sambhaji Shinde (Petitioner) and other led by Sh. Uddhav Thackeray (Respondent) [shall] be permitted to use the name of the party ‘Shivsena’ simplicitor”; (b) “neither…group shall…be permitted to use the symbol ‘Bow & Arrow’, reserved for ‘Shivsena’”; and (c) “both…groups shall be known by such names as they may choose”. Ban on Shiv Sena symbol: Central Election Commission notification for selection of new symbol.

This had been done “in order to place both the rival groups on even keel and to protect their rights and interests, and going by the past precedence,…to cover the purpose of the current Bye-elections and to continue till the final determination of the dispute in the matter…”, the ECI said.

“For the purposes of the current bye-elections”, the order said, the two groups “shall…be allotted such different symbols as they may choose from the list of free symbols…”.

The by-election to the Andheri East Assembly seat will be held on November 3. The Shinde faction had moved the ECI in an attempt to deny the Uddhav Thackeray faction the use of the ‘bow and arrow’ symbol in the bypoll.

Is all of this unusual?

When a prominent party splits, a tussle often ensues for its election symbol, which is frequently the embodiment of its very identity, and its fundamental connection with voters. Indeed, Indian voters are commonly heard saying that they would vote “kamal ka pool” or “panja” or “jhadu” while indicating their preference for the BJP, Congress, or Aam Aadmi Party, as the case may be.

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The last time the ECI took a similar decision was in October 2021, when it froze the ‘Bungalow’ election symbol of the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP). Like in the case of the Shiv Sena, the intention on that occasion was to ensure that neither of the two factions of the LJP — led by Chirag Paswan, son of the late Ram Vilas Paswan, and Pashupati Kumar Paras, the senior Paswan’s brother — could use it in the Assembly byelections for the Kusheshwar Asthan and Tarapur seats in Bihar, which were scheduled for October 30 that year.