Uddhav Thackeray's faction urges Supreme Court to reject rewarding defections
The Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) asked the Supreme Court not to interpret the Constitution in a way that encourages party defections.
On the fifth day of the Supreme Court hearing concerning the Shiv Sena (UBT) symbol controversy, the Uddhav Thackeray camp submitted arguments against a permissive reading of the Constitution. Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, speaking for the faction, contended that the Constitution must not be interpreted to incentivize defections, as this would erode the safeguards of the anti-defection law. He characterized the current scenario as a "very sad state of affairs" and noted a pattern of governments allowing disqualification cases to linger unresolved.
The bench was led by Chief Justice Surya Kant. The plea seeks to prevent any legal precedent that could legitimize rewarding party-switching behavior.
Why it matters
The case could shape how India's anti-defection law is applied, affecting party stability and democratic norms.
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