The Supreme Court cautioned the Uddhav Thackeray-led group against publicly implying that the court was delaying the Shiv Sena split petitions’ hearings. The Chief Justice of India, Surya Kant, and Justice Joymalya Bagchi addressed a plea challenging the Election Commission’s recognition of the Eknath Shinde camp as the official Shiv Sena. They also discussed a petition by Sunil Prabhu contesting the former Maharashtra Assembly Speaker’s decision not to disqualify members of the Shinde faction.
During the hearing, the bench responded to a request for an early hearing by advising the Uddhav Thackeray-led side to refrain from making irresponsible statements to the media. The Chief Justice emphasized the importance of choosing words carefully and expressed displeasure at any insinuation of the court’s inaction.
The petitioners’ counsel expressed readiness to present arguments whenever the court could allot sufficient time for the case. The Chief Justice urged cooperation from both sides and highlighted the need to avoid irresponsible remarks about the judiciary.
Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, representing the opposing side, emphasized that no litigant should criticize the judiciary and clarified that his side had not engaged in such behavior. The bench underscored its commitment by stating its availability for proceedings until 4 p.m., emphasizing the seriousness of the matter.
The Supreme Court eventually scheduled the hearing for July, addressing the petitions challenging the Election Commission’s decision to recognize the Shinde faction as the official Shiv Sena. The Uddhav Thackeray-led faction argued that the poll body overlooked its organizational support and failed to act neutrally. The court had earlier declined to stay the Election Commission’s order but agreed to review its quasi-judicial actions regarding the conflicting claims.
