New Delhi, Aug. 11 -- The Supreme Court on Tuesday heard the petitions challenging the Maharashtra Assembly Speaker's refusal to disqualify MLAs of the Eknath Shinde-led faction of the Shiv Sena under the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution, with the Uddhav Thackeray faction arguing that a split in the legislative wing cannot, by itself, be treated as a split in the political party.

Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for Shiv Sena (UBT), submitted that the Election Commission of India (ECI) could exercise jurisdiction under Paragraph 15 of the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order only if there was a split in the political party resulting in two rival groups.

Paragraph 15 of the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotmen...