Maharashtra Assembly speaker gets 10 more days to decide Shiv Sena disqualification

Mumbai: Maharashtra assembly speaker Rahul Narwekar has got a 10-day extension to decide disqualification petitions against Shiv Sena MLAs. The SC has asked the speaker to decide before January 10.

Earlier, the SC had directed Mr. Narwekar to decide the petitions before December 31. However, the Maharashtra legislature secretariat had sought an extension of three weeks so that the Speaker could get reasonable time to evaluate voluminous submissions presented by the two factions of Shiv Sena.

The Uddhav Thackeray faction of Shiv Sena has filed disqualification under schedule 10 of the Constitution against 38 MLAs, including Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, for alleged anti-party activities and defying party whips. The Shinde faction has also filed similar petitions against 15 MLAs supporting Mr. Thackeray.

The Speaker has already completed recording evidence given by all witnesses presented by both sides and the final arguments are expected to start on Monday and conclude on Tuesday. However, more time was sought as both sides have presented more than two lakh pages of documents.

While expressing its displeasure against Mr. Narwekar for not taking any action on disqualification petitions, the SC in its order passed in October had said, “The Speaker’s inaction in deciding the disqualification proceedings is an act of grave constitutional impropriety as his inaction is allowing MLAs who are liable to be disqualified to continue in the assembly and to hold responsible positions in the government of Maharashtra including that of the Chief Minister.”

Meanwhile, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray said that democracy has been destroyed in Maharashtra as the Speaker has taken one and a half years and not decided on disqualification. “Democracy has been destroyed in Maharashtra. We call the Election Commission a total compromise commission, they are not conducting Lok Sabha elections on Pune and Chandrapur seats...people have no voice even in the Municipal Corporation. So far the Speaker has taken one and a half years. He was expected to decide during this period. He is not just the Speaker, we look at him as a tribunal. But what if he can’t decide?”Aaditya Thackeray said.