Bombay HC directs civic body to accept resignation of Uddhav Thackeray’s candidate for bye-poll
Municipal employees cannot contest the elections according to the law.
The Bombay High Court on Thursday directed the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation to accept the resignation of Rutuja Latke, who is Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray)’s candidate for the Andheri East bye-polls, reported PTI.
Rutuja Latke resigned as an assistant clerk from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation on October 3. However, her resignation was not accepted by the civic administration, reported The Indian Express.
It means that Rutuja Latke is still a municipal employee. A person associated with the city body is not allowed the contest the elections under Rule 6 of the Mumbai Municipal Corporation Service (Conduct) Regulations.
On Wednesday, she had moved the Bombay High Court against the civic body’s decision, reported Deccan Herald. The court directed the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation to issue a letter of acceptance to Rutuja Latke by 11 am on October 14, reported Bar and Bench.
Rutuja Latke is the widow of former Shiv Sena MLA from Andheri (East), Ramesh Latke, whose death in May has necessitated the Andheri bye-polls. Rutuja Latke will contest against Bharatiya Janata Party candidate Murji Patel.
On Wednesday, Rutuja Latke clarified that she will enter as a candidate of the Thackeray faction.
The Shiv Sena split into two factions in June after current Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and a group of party MLAs rebelled against the former state government – a coalition of the Shiv Sena, Nationalist Congress Party and the Congress.
After more than a week of political drama, the coalition was ousted from power as the Thackeray faction was reduced to a minority in the state Assembly. Shinde was sworn in as the chief minister of Maharashtra on June 30, while the Bharatiya Janata Party’s Devendra Fadnavis took oath as his deputy.
On October 8, the Election Commission barred the two factions of the Shiv Sena from using the party name and its “bow and arrow,” symbol, ahead of the upcoming bye-polls. It asked them to submit options for the symbols.
The poll body, on October 10, allotted the flaming torch symbol to the Thackeray-led faction and recognised it as Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray). The poll body has allotted the “two swords and shield” symbol to the Shinde faction and said the group will be known by the name Balasahebanchi Shiv Sena.