🔥 Trending Supreme Court Issues Notice to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Shiv Sena Merger Ch

The Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray - UBT) faction has challenged the Lok Sabha Speaker's decision to recognize the merger of six of its Members of Parliament (MPs) with the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena faction in the Supreme Court of India ¹²⁴⁷.

Background of the Dispute

The Shiv Sena, a prominent political party in Maharashtra, India, split into two main factions: one led by Uddhav Thackeray (Shiv Sena UBT) and the other by Eknath Shinde. This split led to significant political realignments. Recently, six MPs who were originally part of the Shiv Sena (UBT) faction joined the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena ¹⁵.

Lok Sabha Speaker's Decision

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla approved the merger of these six MPs with the Shinde faction ¹²⁵. This decision was seen as a significant boost for the Eknath Shinde group and the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in Parliament ⁵. Following this merger, the strength of the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena in the Lok Sabha was reduced to just three MPs ⁹.

Shiv Sena (UBT)'s Challenge in the Supreme Court

The Shiv Sena (UBT) faction views the Speaker's decision as a violation of the anti-defection law and has therefore sought the intervention of the Supreme Court ³⁷.

Key Arguments of Shiv Sena (UBT)

The Shiv Sena (UBT) argues for the disqualification of these six MPs, asserting that their merger with the Shinde faction is not legitimate under the existing anti-defection laws ¹. Senior Advocate Devadatt Kamat is representing the Shiv Sena (UBT) in this matter ⁷.

Supreme Court's Action

On July 22, 2026, the Supreme Court agreed to hear the plea filed by Shiv Sena (UBT) ¹. A Bench of Justices P.S. Narasimha and Satish Chandra Sharma issued notices to several parties involved in the case ³¹⁰. The notices were specifically sent to:

• The Lok Sabha Speaker's office ³⁶¹⁰
• The six MPs who joined the Eknath Shinde faction ³⁶¹⁰
• The Election Commission of India ¹⁰
• The Union of India ¹⁰

The court's decision to issue notices indicates that it will deliberate on the challenge to the Speaker's endorsement of the merger ¹³. While the Supreme Court has issued notices, it has not, as of July 22, 2026, stayed the Speaker's decision ⁶. This means the merger currently remains in effect, but its legality is now under judicial review.