# SC hears Shiv Sena split case, Shinde camp backs EC test 2026-09-15T15:41:50+00:00 | Governance | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 3 independent outlets The Supreme Court on Tuesday resumed final hearing on the Shiv Sena split case, with the Eknath Shinde-led faction defending the Election Commission's decision to recognise it as the 'real' Shiv Sena. Senior advocate Neeraj Kishan Kaul argued that the EC was empowered under Article 324 to examine a party's constitution and organisational structure to determine which faction represents the real party. Kaul told the bench headed by Chief Justice Surya Kant that the constitution relied upon by the Uddhav Thackeray faction was not registered with the EC, while the 1999 constitution was submitted after detailed correspondence with the poll panel. He said the EC was not deciding which amendments could be made but whether the organisational structure reflected the will of the cadre, and that the Shinde faction's case was based on a split in the political party, not just the legislative wing. The hearing remained inconclusive and will continue on Wednesday. ## Indian Opinion Analysis All three sources provide uniform straight reporting of the Supreme Court proceedings, focusing on the Shinde faction's defence of the EC's organisational majority test. None add editorial framing or highlight omissions in either side's arguments. The coverage sticks to the legal submissions without commenting on the political implications. With the hearing to continue Wednesday, the key point to watch is whether the court accepts the EC's power to determine party authenticity based on organisational structure rather than legislative majority. ## Coverage - timesofindia.indiatimes.com (neutral report) Straight news agency style reporting of court arguments - newindianexpress.com (neutral report) Straight reporting with additional detail from PTI - rediff.com (neutral report) Straight reporting with key points summary and PTI attribution Tags: Eknath Shinde, Election Commission, Shiv Sena, Supreme Court, Uddhav Thackeray Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/supreme-court-hears-shinde-faction-defence-of-ec-test-in-shiv-sena-case/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/supreme-court-hears-shinde-faction-defence-of-ec-test-in-shiv-sena-case/#story-in-brief