"As Per Rules": Speaker On Disqualification Petition Against Eknath Shinde

Maharashtra assembly speaker Rahul Narwekar on Monday said he would hear everyone's side before deciding on disqualification pleas filed against Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and other MLAs of his camp.

“I will decide as a quasi-judicial authority. I cannot comment further on the issue. Action will be taken as per the rules and framework of the Constitution. I will hear everyone's side before taking the decision,” Mr Narwekar told reporters while responding to a query.

The speaker is likely to start hearing the disqualification pleas from the next week.

Mr Narwekar in July said he had issued notices to 40 MLAs of the Shinde-led Shiv Sena and 14 of the Uddhav Thackeray faction, 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.

Earlier in July, the Shiv Sena (UBT) approached the Supreme Court seeking a direction to the assembly speaker to hear the disqualification petitions expeditiously.

MLA Sunil 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 against Uddhav Thackeray and joined hands with the 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 cannot reinstate the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) coalition government headed by Uddhav Thackeray as the Sena leader chose to resign without facing a floor test in the wake of Mr Shinde's rebellion, the top court said.

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