Maharashtra: Except for Aaditya Thackeray, disqualification notices sent to all MLAs of Uddhav camp for defying whip

Shiv Sena chief whip Bharat Gogawale (of the Eknath Shinde camp) on Monday said they have sent disqualification notices sent to all the MLAs of the Uddhav Thackeray faction for defying their whip during the floor test today. However, Gogawale said they haven't sent the notice to Aaditya Thackeray due to their "respect for Balasaheb Thackeray".

"We have given notices to disqualify all the MLAs who defied our whip; have not given his (Aaditya Thackeray's) name due to our respect for Balasaheb Thackeray," said Gogawale.

Chief Minister Eknath Shinde earlier warned the Uddhav Thackeray camp of action for violating their whip. "They (Uddhav Thackeray camp) are regularly going to Courts & even today went to Supreme Court. Bharat Gogawale is our whip & I'm myself the legislative party leader. Action will be taken against those who violated our whip," he said at a press conference after winning the crucial floor test in the state Assembly on the last day of the two-day special session of the House.

SC to hear plea of Uddhav faction against speaker's decision on party whip on July 11

The Supreme Court today agreed to hear on July 11 a fresh plea of the Thackeray faction challenging the decision of the newly-elected Speaker of the Maharashtra legislative assembly to recognise the new party whip of Shiv Sena rebels led by Eknath Shinde.

A vacation bench comprising Justices Indira Banerjee and J K Maheshwari said the fresh plea would be heard by the same bench after the summer break along with other pending pleas.

Senior advocate A M Singhvi, appearing for the Thackeray group, said, "The speaker has no jurisdiction to recognise whips. This is changing the status quo of proceedings before this court. The speaker yesterday at the stroke of the pen at midnight elected the whip."

Justice Banerjee said "I do not have the papers in front of me. Let all of this come up together on July 11."

The fresh plea challenging the Speaker's decision has been filed by chief whip Sunil Prabhu of the Thackeray faction.

This came after the newly-appointed speaker on Sunday night removed Shiv Sena MLA Ajay Chaudhary as the legislative party leader and also recognised the appointment of Bharat Gogawale from the Shinde camp as the chief whip of the Sena, removing Sunil Prabhu.