The Eknath Shinde faction has sent 3 new election symbols to the Election Commission (EC) regarding the Andheri assembly by-election in Mumbai. A day earlier, the Election Commission had rejected his 3 symbols including the gada (mace). The final decision is expected on Tuesday.
This follows the EC’s decision to put an interim ban on the use of the Shiv Sena’s name and its symbol, bow and arrow, in the upcoming Andheri assembly by-election, which is why new names and symbols are being allotted to both the factions.
The EC has named the Eknath Shinde faction as Balasahebanchi Shiv Sena and the Uddhav Thackeray faction as Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray). Thackeray’s party has been alloted the torch symbol.
According to sources, the names sent by the Shinde faction include the Sun, Peepal Tree and Shield-Sword. The name will be alloted after thorough investigation and in accordance with the List of Free Symbols.
The EC refused to allocate religious symbols when the Shinde faction asked for mace and trident, earlier.