Maha Speaker says hearing on disqualification petitions against CM Shinde, 15 other MLAs to start soon

CM Eknath Shinde (File Photo)

Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar on Friday said he has received a copy of the Shiv Sena's constitution from the Election Commission of India, and hearing on the disqualification petitions against 16 Shiv Sena MLAs including Chief Minister Eknath Shinde will start soon.

Narwekar had sought a copy of the Sena's constitution from the ECI. His office received it last week, he told PTI.

"Now we will start the hearing," he said.

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When asked when exactly the process will start, Narwekar replied, "Soon."

Earlier this week, the Shiv Sena (UBT) approached the Supreme Court seeking a direction to the Assembly Speaker to hear the disqualification petitions expeditiously.

MLA Sunil Prabhu had, in his capacity as chief whip of the undivided Shiv Sena, filed the disqualification petitions against Shinde and other 15 MLAs last year after they rebelled and joined hands with the BJP to form a new government in June 2022.

Prabhu, on behalf of the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray), moved the apex court this month claiming that Narwekar was deliberately delaying the hearing despite the Supreme Court, in its May 11 judgement, asking the Speaker to decide on the petitions in reasonable time.

On May 11, the top court ruled that Eknath Shinde will continue to be the chief minister of Maharashtra. It cannot reinstate the Maha Vikas Aghadi coalition government headed by Uddhav Thackeray as the Sena leader chose to resign without facing a floor test in the wake of Shinde's rebellion, the court said.

The SC also censured former Maharashtra governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari over his decision calling upon Thackeray to prove his majority.

Refusing to disqualify the 16 rebel Shiv Sena MLAs including Shinde, the bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud said the court cannot ordinarily adjudicate on disqualification petitions under the anti-defection law, and directed the Speaker to take a decision on the pending matter within a "reasonable period."

Even as the hearing on disqualification issue is pending, the state politics got another twist last week when an NCP faction led by Ajit Pawar joined the state government with Pawar becoming a deputy CM.

The monsoon session of the state legislature would start from July 17.

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