SC requests that Sena MLAs' requests for disqualification be tabled by the Maharashtra Speaker.

  • July 11, 2022, 3:27 p.m.

The Supreme Court on Monday asked the new Maharashtra Legislative Assembly Speaker Rahul Narvekar to defer acting on the disqualification petitions pending before him while the top court hears the petitions on the same issue in the wake of the political crisis precipitated by a group of Shiv Sena MLAs withdrawing support from former Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and pledging loyalty to the rebel Eknath Shinde camp in the party.

The crisis has culminated in the fall of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government in the state.

A bench presided over by Chief Justice N V Ramana asked Solicitor General (SG) Tushar Mehta, who appeared for the Maharashtra Governor, to convey to the Speaker not to take any action on the matter for now.

Both the Thackeray and Shinde factions have filed petitions seeking the disqualification of legislators belonging to rival camps.

On June 27, an SC vacation bench of Justices Surya Kant and J B Pardiwala extended the time given by the then Deputy Speaker Narhari Zirwal to the dissident MLAs to reply to the notices issued to them on pleas seeking their disqualification from the Assembly, till 5.30 pm on July 12.

The court also listed the matter for hearing upon the reopening of the court after summer recess on Monday. It also listed some other petitions filed subsequently on issues arising out of the political crisis for hearing on July 11.

However, with the matters not listed Monday, senior advocate Kapil Sibal brought it to the notice of the Chief Justice of India (CJI) and sought an urgent listing. Sibal urged the court to direct the Speaker that there should not be any disqualification either way till the matter is heard.

However, the CJI said, "I’m not listing the matter tomorrow." This requires the constitution of a bench and will take some time.

The CJI then asked the Solicitor General to ask the Speaker to keep the matter in abeyance.

"Please inform the Assembly Speaker not to hold any hearings." Let us see. "We are hearing the matter," he told the SG, who agreed to do so.

Author : Rajdhani Delhi Representative

Rajdhani delhi representative

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