Following SC directives, Speaker to hold hearing of disqualification plea of Sena MLAs on Monday

Mumbai: Following the Supreme Court (SC) directive to Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar to spell out the timeline within a week for adjudication of the disqualification petitions filed against chief minister Eknath Shinde and Shiv Sena MLAs, the Speaker scheduled the next hearing on Monday, which will start in the afternoon.

On Friday, Narwekar announced that the next hearing would be held in the coming week following the SC directives. Last Monday, the Supreme Court said nothing has been done so far despite its direction for deciding the pleas within a reasonable time.

Accordingly, the state legislature secretariat issued hearing notices to all the MLAs from both factions.

“As all MLAs have appointed counsel who argued on their behalf in the last hearing, we have sent the notices to the concerned counsels from both factions,” said an official from the state legislature secretariat.

Ajay Chaudhary, group leader of Shiv Sena (UBT) in assembly, said that party MLAs and counsel will be present for the hearing on Monday. “We will go to the hearing at 3pm tomorrow with our legal team,” said Chaudhary.

In the backdrop of the apex court expressing its unhappiness over the delay in conducting a hearing on the petition seeking disqualification of chief minister Eknath Shinde and his MLAs, Narwekar on Thursday consulted legal experts in Delhi. He met solicitor general Tushar Mehta who argued on his behalf in the apex court to discuss the remarks passed by SC and the order in which Narwekar was given a week’s time to open disqualification proceedings against CM Eknath Shinde and other MLAs accused of violating the provisions of anti-defection law.

“After the Supreme court’s remarks on delay in disqualification and order to hold the hearing in one week, Speaker Rahul Narwekar rushed to Delhi and is now going to hold the hearing. There is no escape to anyone and they will have to follow the SC order and disqualify CM Shinde and his supporter MLAs.” said Anil Parab. He also alleged that Narwekar delayed the procedure and now he is holding a hearing as SC expressed displeasure. He also added that the party has moved a disqualification petition against deputy Speaker Neelam Gorhe, Manisha Kayande and Viplav Bajoria on July 21 and they have acknowledgement from the state legislature. If there is no decision taken on it we will go to the SC and these three MLCs will also be disqualified like MLAs in the assembly including CM Eknath Shinde.