NCP Vs NCP: SC Extends Time for Maha Speaker to Decide on Disqualification Pleas against Ajit Pawar Faction

The Supreme Court on Monday extended time till February 15 for Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar to decide on pleas from the Sharad Pawar faction, seeking the disqualification of NCP MLAs affiliated with Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar’s group.

A bench of Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, considered the submissions of Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the office of the speaker. Mehta indicated that additional time would be required to issue orders on the disqualification pleas.

Previously, the top court had given the speaker until January 31 to decide on the disqualification pleas related to NCP MLAs who had switched sides to join the Eknath Shinde-led state government.

“In his (speaker’s) order dated January 25, the speaker has indicated that cross-examination of the witnesses for respondents (NCP factions) could not be concluded, and with the consent of the parties, the following time schedule is prescribed, and that matter will end on January 31 for orders. We grant time till February 15, 2024, to finish dictation of the orders (by the speaker),” stated the bench in its order.

A plea was filed by Jayant Patil of the Sharad Pawar faction of the Nationalist Congress Party, seeking a directive for the speaker to promptly decide on the disqualification petitions against Ajit Pawar and MLAs loyal to him.