Supreme Court to Hear Shiv Sena (UBT) Challenge on Six MPs' Merger with Shinde

India's Supreme Court has agreed to hear a petition filed by Shiv Sena (UBT), the faction led by Uddhav Thackeray, that contests Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla's decision to recognize the merger of six rebel MPs into the Eknath Shinde‑led Shiv Sena. The petition argues that the Speaker's order violates constitutional provisions and the anti‑defection law, contending that MPs elected against a rival formation cannot later merge with that same party without judicial scrutiny.

The Speaker's approval on July 18 increased the Shinde faction's strength in the Lok Sabha to 13 members, while Shiv Sena (UBT) was left with three MPs. The same decision also authorized separate seating for 20 former Trinamool Congress MPs who joined the Nationalist Citizens Party of India. Senior advocate Devadatt Kamat seeks an urgent hearing before a bench headed by Chief Justice Surya Kant, highlighting the broader constitutional implications of the merger recognition.