New Delhi, Aug. 5 -- The Supreme Court on Wednesday began hearing the Shiv Sena Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray (UBT) faction's plea challenging the Election Commission's decision declaring the Eknath Shinde-led group as the official Shiv Sena and awarding it the party's "bow and arrow" election symbol.

During the proceedings, a bench of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana observed that the "control of the political party subsists over the legislature party" and any valid decision of the political party must prevail even over the will of a majority of the legislature party.

At the same time, the bench observed that legislators must have some degree of flexibility to take political positions in exceptio...