New Delhi, Aug. 6 -- The Supreme Court on Thursday raised broader questions about whether political parties themselves must adhere to democratic norms, while hearing the Uddhav Thackeray faction's challenge to the Election Commission's decision recognising the Eknath Shinde-led faction as the "real Shiv Sena."

A bench of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V Mohana observed that the Shiv Sena's constitution had undergone a significant transformation over the years, moving away from its originally democratic framework to what it described as "virtually a one-person structure."

The Bench remarked that when constitutional institutions are expected to uphold democratic values, it becomes necessary to examine w...