Sharad Pawar seeks urgent hearing against EC order recognising Ajit Pawar faction as ‘real’ NCP, SC agrees

The Supreme Court on Friday agreed to hear a plea filed by Sharad Pawar against the Election Commission of India's order to officially recognise Ajit Pawar-faction as the ‘real’ Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).

A bench headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) D Y took note of the submissions of senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for the veteran leader, that the plea needed urgent listing in view of a recent order of the Maharashtra Assembly Speaker .

Singhvi had mentioned the matter for urgent listing saying because of the poll panel's order will likely face the whip of .

The Maharashtra Speaker had held that the faction led by Ajit Pawar was the ‘real’ NCP and that the anti-defection provisions in the Constitution cannot be used to stifle internal dissent.

On Friday, Narwekar, however, said that no stand in the decision is "unconstitutional" or "arbitrary". "This decision is very clear. A copy of the decision has been provided to the parties. No stand in this decision is unconstitutional or arbitrary. The stand has been justified. Reasons for the same have been stated. So, I think there is no need to further analyse such a tenable and justified decision," he said, according to ANI.

Prior to this, the EC panel had announced on February 6 that the Ajit Pawar faction is the real NCP and also allotted the party's 'clock' symbol to the group.

Highlighting the urgency of the matter, Singhvi sought listing of the plea on February 19 and said that Sharad Pawar's case is worse than 's. 

"Now the Sharad Pawar group will be under the party whip when the assembly starts functioning... our case is worse than Uddhav Thackeray as we have not been allotted any alternate ." 

Earlier, the Ajit Pawar faction had filed a