No live telecast of decision, will take call based on majority: EC on 'real' Shiv Sena
India Today
CEC Rajiv Kumar said a decision on which faction forms the real Shiv Sena will be taken based on which camp has the majority. The EC assesses the number of MLAs, MPs and office bearers backing each side before taking a call.
Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar on Tuesday said that a decision on who the 'real' Shiv Sena is will be taken based on the rule of majority. The Election Commission usually assesses the number of elected MLAs, MPs and office bearers backing each side to decide on which faction is legitimate.
"I am not into live telecast of the decision. There is a set procedure, that procedure mandates us that we define it in a very transparent process by judging and applying the rule of majority," CEC Rajiv Kumar said during a press briefing in Ahmedabad.
The Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and a delegation of senior Election Commission officials were on a two-day visit to Gujarat to review preparedness for the upcoming assembly polls and to meet political representatives.
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"We will apply the rule of majority whenever we review it. The only principal is the rule of majority," CEC Rajiv Kumar added.
As things stand, Eknath Shinde enjoys the support of 40 out of 55 MLAs and 12 of 18 Sena MPs back the Maharashtra chief minister.
Earlier in the day, the Supreme Court dismissed a petition by Uddhav Thackeray's faction to stop the EC from deciding on the claim of the Eknath Shinde-led group over the 'real' Shiv Sena and its symbol.
