SC decision to refer Shiv Sena hearing to a larger 7-judge bench on Thursday

New Delhi: A 5-judge constitution bench headed by Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud on Tuesday indicated that the hearing of the Shiv Sena faction to decide whether it should refer the matter to a larger bench of seven judges will be decided on Thursday.

The rival Shinde group's senior counsel Neeraj Kishan Kaul started today’s arguments while its other senior lawyers have been given time to complete their submissions on Wednesday. 

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta will be arguing on behalf of the Maharashtra Governor on Thursday for over an hour, followed by the rejoinders.

Kamat supported the submissions of Singhvi and Sibbal that Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, before the change of guard, had used the letterheads of the legislature party and not on behalf of the original political party. He said the whip is issued by the political party and not by the legislature party.

"Quash the letter written by then Maha Governor Bhagat Singh"

Singhvi said the simple solution to the complicated tangle is for the Supreme Court to quash the letter written by then Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari on June 27 to then chief minister Uddhav Thackeray as that will result in the status quo ante by reinstalling Thackeray as the CM.

He cited six irregularities by then governor Koshyari in the actions he took one after another to help Shinde administered the oath as the chief minister. He said the governor cannot exercise his executive powers in the Shiv Sena tussle as he has no place under the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution to take any actions.