The Supreme Court on Tuesday referred to a five-judge bench the petitions filed by the Shiv Sena and Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde raising several constitutional questions related to defection, merger and disqualification. The top court ordered the listing of petitions before the constitution bench on Thursday and directed the Election Commission not to pass any orders on the Shinde faction’s plea that it be considered the real Shiv Sena and granted the party’s poll symbol. 

A bench headed by Chief Justice N V Ramana said the batch of petitions raises important constitutional issues relating to the 10th Schedule of the Constitution pertaining to disqualification, power of the Speaker and Governor and judicial review.