We are entitled to enter the Vidhan Bhavan: BJP legislators

The Supreme Court has reinstated the 12 MLAs. File pic

After the Supreme Court reinstated them, the 12 legislators of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), have told the Legislature Secretary that they are now entitled to enter the premises of the Vidhan Bhavan at Mumbai and Nagpur.

MLA Ashish Shelar wrote to the Secretary on behalf of his colleagues on Monday. The MLAs were suspended from the Assembly in the monsoon session of 2021 for alleged ‘disorderly behaviour' for a period of one year on July 5. The letter said that the suspension for a period beyond the remainder of the monsoon session has been decided unconstitutional and the membership reinstated from the day last year's monsoon session ended.

"The Hon. Supreme Court also ordered that all the suspended members including me, are entitled to all the consequential benefits of being members of the house, on and after the expiry of the period of the remainder of the said session in July 2021," Shelar said, adding that their reinstatement comes into effect from July 7, 2021. "I therefore state and submit that pursuant to the aforementioned judgment of the Hon'ble Supreme Court, all the 12 MLAs are entitled to enter the premises of Vidhan Bhavan at Mumbai and Nagpur," Shelar stated further.

Copies of the letter have been marked to Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Anil Parab. It has been learnt that the legislative office is studying the verdict for its applicability to the house in view of a debate over the powers of the legislature and judiciary. There have been dissenting voices from the Maha Vikas Aghadi leaders, whereas the BJP maintains that judgment has already applied.

The suspended MLAs were denied perks, their legislative powers withdrawn and they were not allowed to enter the Vidhan Bhavan premises at Mumbai and Nagpur, where the state budget session is scheduled to begin in the last week of February.

‘Respond in 24 hours'

One of the suspended MLAs, Atul Bhatkhalkar, wrote to the CM on Monday, asking him whether he endorsed Parab and Sena MP Sanjay Raut's dissent against the SC verdict. "The CM should respond within 24 hours or else it will be assumed that he is in agreement with the minister and MP. And then I will file a contempt petition in the SC against the CM, Parab and Raut," Bhatkhalkar tweeted.