Court asks for a time-frame response over Uddhav Thackeray faction of Shiv Sena’s petitions against chief minister Eknath Shinde and other MLAs
Our Bureau
New Delhi
In a major development, the Supreme Court on Monday directed the Maharashtra assembly speaker to give a timeline within a week for the hearing of the disqualification pleas against chief minister Eknath Shinde and Shiv Sena MLAs loyal to him. It also asked the speaker to set down a schedule to dispose of the proceedings against the legislators.
A bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra referred to the May 11 verdict of the apex court on the Maharashtra political crisis and the direction issued by it to the speaker to decide the disqualification petitions within a reasonable time.
The speaker has to honour the dignity of the Supreme Court and abide by its verdict, the bench said.
It asked Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the speaker, to inform it about the time frame being set by the House chair for disposal of the disqualification petitions. “We expect deference and dignity to the directions issued by the Supreme Court,” the bench said and listed the plea by Shiv Sena (UBT) faction seeking disqualification of Shinde and other Shiv Sena MLAs supporting him after two weeks.
The apex court further added that assembly speaker is a “tribunal under the tenth schedule of the Constitution”, and as a tribunal, he is amenable to the court’s jurisdiction. The bench added that “nothing has been done” about the pending disqualification petitions after the May 11 judgement.
“We now direct that the procedural directions shall be issued by the speaker within a week setting out a timeline to complete the proceedings. The solicitor general shall inform the court about the timeline being set for disposing of the proceedings,” the bench said.
The Uddhav Thackeray faction of Shiv Sena had filed disqualification petitions against chief minister Eknath Shinde and other MLAs, including some cabinet ministers, after they led a rebellion within the party and formed government with the help of the BJP.
On May 11, the top court had asked speaker Rahul Narwekar to rule on the petitions “within a reasonable time”.
Eknath Shinde had led a rebellion against Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray, who was then the chief minister of Maha Vikas Aghadi, which also included the Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party. The rebellion led to the fall of the MVA government in the state and Eknath Shinde formed government with the help of the BJP.
Earlier on Monday, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut accused Maharashtra speaker of deliberately delaying a decision on disqualification petitions filed against MLAs from chief minister Eknath Shinde’s camp by the Uddhav Thackeray-led faction. “Despite a clear directive from the Supreme Court, the speaker is wasting time when it comes to deciding on the disqualification petitions. He is supporting the unconstitutional government in the state,” Raut alleged.
Rane calls Uddhav Thackeray “terrorist”
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA from Maharashtra, Nitesh Rane, on Tuesday, drew a parallel between Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and banned “Popular Front of India”. Rane also called Uddhav Thackeray a terrorist for his recent remark that was made in Jalgaon.
“A Godhara-type incident can happen during the Ram Temple inauguration in January 2024,” claimed Uddhav Thackery on Sunday while addressing a public meeting in Jalgaon. Uddhav’s statement has attracted massive condemnation from the BJP leaders.
Rane on Tuesday also demanded custodial interrogation of Uddhav Thackeray for his threatening remarks. “In the coming days, Ram Mandir will be inaugurated. There may be a possibility that many Hindus will be called from all over the country for the inauguration, and after the ceremony is over, they can do something like the Godhra incident while the people return,” said Uddhav Thackeray.
It is pertinent to note that Uddhav Thackeray is already facing massive criticism after Shinde Sena MLA Sada Sarvanakar accused Uddhav Thackeray and Sanjay Raut of instigating him to attack former Maharashtra Chief Minister Manohar Joshi’s residence in Mumbai’s Shivaji Park area.
