Mumbai: Ahead of the assembly elections, the state government wants to resolve the longstanding issue of 12 Governor-nominated MLC seats, which has been pending for the past four years.
7 Names Recommended
The state cabinet has recommended seven names for the MLC quota and has sent the list to Governor CP Radhakrishnan for approval. Sources said that the list includes three BJP members, two NCP (Ajit Pawar) members, and two from the Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde). Chhagan Bhujbal’s son Pankaj and Idris Naikwadi of Sangli are the two front-runners from the NCP camp.
However, names proposed by the BJP and Shiv Sena are still under wraps. Moreover, the chairmanship of the women’s commission will also be allotted to the NCP. The MLC quota matter is still in court and the verdict has been reserved until October 23. By recommending these names, the state government risks the possibility of further legal challenges.
Appointments On Recommendation Not Made
In June 2020, the then Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari did not make the appointments on recommendation from the then Maha Vikas Aghadi government. Alleging deliberate delay by Koshyari, Sunil Modi from Kolhapur filed a petition in the Bombay High Court.
In July 2022, after Eknath Shinde’s rebellion in the undivided Shiv Sena, the government changed and Maha Vikas Aghadi was replaced by the Mahayuti government. As a result, the previous list of MLCs was set aside. The court has reserved its verdict on the matter. With the government now recommending new names before the verdict, questions are being raised on whether this decision will face another legal challenge.
