Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena moves HC to seek nod for Dussehra rally at Mumbai's Shivaji Park

New Delhi: The Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena on Wednesday (September 21, 2022) moved the Bombay High Court seeking permission to hold its annual Dussehra rally at the Shivaji Park in Mumbai on October 5. The petition, filed by the Shiv Sena and its secretary Anil Desai through advocate Joel Carlos, sought an urgent hearing and was mentioned before a division bench of Justices R D Dhanuka and Kamal Khata. The bench posted it for a hearing on Thursday.

The plea said the Shiv Sena was constrained to approach the HC as the Mumbai civic body -- Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) -- was yet to take a decision on their applications submitted in August seeking permission for the rally.

The petition sought directions to BMC to forthwith grant permission for the Shiv Sena's Dussehra rally at Shivaji Park in central Mumbai.

Shiv Sena holding Dussehra rally every year at Shivaji Park since 1966

The Shiv Sena in its plea also mentioned that the party was holding the Dussehra rally every year at the Shivaji Park since 1966 and the civic body had always permitted it. It further said a decision ought to be taken by the civic body soon as necessary arrangements would have to be made on the ground prior to the rally.

"Only in 2020 and 2021, the rally could not be held due to the Covid-19 pandemic," it added.

It is notable that the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi government, which comprised the Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress, collapsed in June this year after a revolt led by Eknath Shinde against the Sena leadership. Subsequently, Shinde was sworn in as the chief minister with BJP's Devendra Fadnavis as his deputy.

Both the Thackeray-led Sena and the rival group led by Eknath Shinde had sought permission to hold their Dusshera rallies at Shivaji Park, a venue closely associated with the formation and growth of the saffron outfit. 

The BMC has not taken any decision on the issue so far.

Both the factions, as an alternative, had also applied for permission to hold the rally at the MMRDA ground at the Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC) in Mumbai. Last week, the Shinde faction got the nod for holding a rally at the BKC.

(With agency inputs)