New Delhi: Maharashtra is heading for the third round of the battle over the June 2022 split of the Shiv Sena founded by Balasaheb Thackeray.
The first two rounds of the protracted tussle were fought in the Supreme Court and the Election Commission in Delhi, while the third round between Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and his predecessor Uddhav Thackeray will be in the Maharashtra Assembly.
Speaker Rahul Narwekar, the key player
The key player in the third round will be Speaker Rahul Narwekar, a lawyer by training with knowledge of legislative proceedings and Constitutional law. Narwekar would take a call on the fate of Shinde and 15 others against whom the Thackeray-group had launched disqualification proceedings. They include Sanjay Shirsat, Bharat Gogawale, Sandipan Bhumre, Tanaji Sawant, Abdul Sattar, Lata Sonawane, Yamini Jadhav, Prakash Surve, Anil Babar, Balaji Kinnikar, Mahesh Shinde, Chimanrao Patil, Ramesh Bornare, Sanjay Raimulkar and Balaji Kalyankar.
The Supreme Court's order on Thursday has not defined a time limit for the Speaker to take a decision on the disqualification of the MLAs. Narwekar could thus delay the process as he is in the saddle courtesy Shinde.
“The issue of disqualification vests with the Speaker and the Supreme Court has rightly said so. I had said earlier as well…that it is the Speaker who would adjudicate on such issues (related to disqualification of MLAs....I will follow the principles of natural justice....I neither want to hurry nor delay,” Narwekar said.
Thackeray-group threatens to move SC
The Thackeray-group, armed with legal documentation, has started mounting pressure and has even threatened to move the Supreme Court.
Thackeray urged Narwekar to take up the issue of disqualification as early as possible. “There is a question over whether the election of the current Speaker is legal or not. The legality of the Speaker’s selection needs to be reviewed in the context of the apex court’s order,” said Thackeray, who was accompanied by MLC Anil Parab and Rajya Sabha MP Anil Desai, who had pursued the matter before EC and SC.
“The Supreme Court had said that the Speaker must decide on the disqualification petitions within a reasonable period,” Parab pointed out and said it needs to be addressed in a fortnight. “Else, the doors of the Supreme Court are open,” he pointed out.
However, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, said that it is not proper to put pressure on the Speaker. “The Supreme Court has given all the rights to the Speaker and reasonable time has also been given and still, if somebody is trying to put pressure on the Speaker, that person is against a free and fair process. The Speaker himself is a good lawyer and he will take a decision in accordance with law,” Fadnavis said.
