Mumbai: The hearing on disqualification petitions against Shiv Sena MLAs began on Thursday with a break of a fortnight. The opposition cried of 'time killing' tactics being engaged by the ruling side, however, Speaker of Maharashtra legislative assembly Adv Rahul Narwekar defended the action stating that the decision will be in accordance with the laws governing the assembly.
“I'm working as a judicial authority and hence it is not right to discuss things outside. However, I'd like to assure everyone that the laws governing the assembly will be adhered to and the decision will be made in accordance with the Constitution,” Narvekar said during his media interaction.
42 petitions being heard
The hearing began around 10.30am at the Vidhan Bhavan and continued till around 2.00pm. A total of 42 petitions are being heard. Both factions are being represented by their respective lawyers.
Talking to media, Anil Sakhre, the lawyer of the Shinde-led Shiv Sena, said his team did not receive relevant documents from the opposite side and hence had requested for postponement of the hearing by a fortnight. The request has been granted by the Speaker, he added.
“Both the sides have been given two weeks to exchange relevant documents after which the hearing shall resume and then the decision regarding how the hearing would proceed will be conveyed to them,” Narvekar told the media in the evening.
"Delaying tactic"
Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Ravindra Waikar told media that Shinde group's claim of not getting documents was part of its delaying tactic.
“It is for the speaker to provide all relevant documents to both sides,” he said.
He also said that Sunil Prabhu, the Chief Whip of Shiv Sena (UBT) has moved a prayer for all the petitions to be clubbed and heard. The decision on the prayer is expected to come before the hearing begins after a gap of two weeks, he added.
Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Bhaskar Jadhav said that since the Supreme Court has held the whip issued by Sunil Prabhu as valid, the disqualification shouldn't be a long procedure.
In July, speaker Narwekar had issued notices to 40 MLAs of the Shinde-led Shiv Sena and 14 of the Shiv Sena (UBT), seeking their replies on disqualification petitions against them. The notices were issued against a total of 54 MLAs, including CM Shinde and Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray. But notice was not issued against Sena (UBT) MLA Rutuja Latke who was elected after the Shiv Sena split last year.
Prabhu had, in his capacity as chief whip of the undivided Shiv Sena, had filed the disqualification petitions against Shinde and other 15 MLAs last year after they rebelled and joined hands with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to form a new government in June 2022. On May 11, the Supreme Court ruled that Eknath Shinde will continue to be the chief minister of Maharashtra. It also said that it cannot reinstate the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) coalition government headed by Uddhav Thackeray as the latter chose to resign without facing a floor test in the wake of Shinde's rebellion.
