New Delhi, July 21 -- The Supreme Court on Tuesday agreed to list for hearing a plea by Shiv Sena Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray (UBT) challenging Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla's decision to recognise the merger of six rebel MPs with the Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena.

Senior advocate Devadatt Kamat, appearing for Shiv Sena (UBT), mentioned the matter for urgent hearing before a bench headed by Chief Justice Surya Kant, submitting that the Speaker had recognised the merger of its six MPs with the rival party.

The Speaker's decision has brought the party's functioning in Parliament to a standstill and raised serious constitutional concerns, Kamat told the bench, also comprising Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohan...