New Delhi, Aug. 13 -- The Supreme Court on Thursday observed that safeguarding constitutional democracy is a "collective responsibility", as it heard the Uddhav Thackeray faction's challenge to the Election Commission's decision recognising the Eknath Shinde-led faction as the "real Shiv Sena" and allotting it the party name and "bow-and-arrow" symbol.

A bench of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana made the observation during arguments by senior advocate Kapil Sibal, who urged the Court to reconsider the existing constitutional framework governing disqualification of legislators and the ECI's role in deciding party-symbol disputes.

"The Constitution is lived by the people," Justice Bagchi said, em...