Tell your ‘petty politicians’ not to blame the court for the delay, CJI tells Thackeray-Shinde factions

The Supreme Court on Friday (May 15, 2026) turned livid at the “petty politicians” of warring Uddhav Thackeray and Eknath Shinde factions of Shiv Sena for accusing the court of delaying a final decision on their dispute over the party symbol ‘bow and arrow’ while seeking adjournments every time the case came up for hearing.

“Stop your people from going to the media and making statements that the Supreme Court is not hearing... Why are these petty politicians making these statements?” Chief Justice of India Surya Kant lashed out when the parties sought an adjournment.

Chief Justice Kant said he was not one who would put up with the slandering of the court by politicians in the media. “You people seek a date every time the case comes up and then you go to the media and complain,” the judge addressed the lawyers in the case.

Irresponsible: Rohatgi

Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, for the Shinde faction, agreed that such statements, if made, were “wholly irresponsible”. Senior advocate Devadatt Kamat, for the Thackeray camp, said the case has been in court for almost three years now, and there was a lot of anxiety involved about the future, though he added that as a lawyer he condemned disparaging comments made in the media.

“We know the pressure on the court. We are completely with Your Lordships on this... No litigant can say such things,” Mr. Rohatgi said.

Mr. Kamat said the court could spare two hours for each side and finish the hearing in one day. He urged the Bench to give a specific date for final arguments. The court listed the case on July 30, after the summer vacation.

Pending for years

The dispute has been pending for years now, posted from one date to the next.

The Thackeray faction has challenged the February 2023 order of the Election Commission (EC) that has allotted the name ‘Shiv Sena’ and its poll symbol ‘bow and arrow’ to the group led by Mr. Shinde.

“The symbols ‘bow and arrow’ , ‘saffron-coloured flag’ and the ‘roaring tiger’ are the very identity of the original Shiv Sena party from 1985... Shiv Sena in its original form has been consistently elected by voters,” Mr. Thackeray’s petition had argued in the Supreme Court.

The plea by the Thackeray faction has also questioned the Maharashtra Assembly Speaker’s decision to hand over the party’s name and symbol to the Shinde faction based on legislative majority. It argued that the Speaker had erred in holding that the majority of the Shiv Sena legislators represented the will of the Shiv Sena party.

The Speaker’s ruling had further cemented Shinde’s position as the then Chief Minister, 18 months after he led a rebellion against Mr. Thackeray and added to his political heft in the ruling coalition, which also comprised the BJP and the NCP (Ajit Pawar group) ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls and the Maharashtra Assembly elections.

In the 2024 Lok Sabha election, the Shinde faction won seven seats. In the Maharashtra polls, the party won 57 seats, the BJP 132 seats, while the Ajit Pawar-led NCP bagged 41 seats. In December 2024, Devendra Fadnavis was back as the Maharashtra Chief Minister with Mr. Shinde and Mr. Pawar as Deputy Chief Ministers.