Shiv Sena Rift: SC Directs Maha Speaker to Set Timeline for Disqualification Pleas Against Shinde Faction

The Supreme Court on Monday directed the Speaker of the Maharashtra assembly to provide a timeline within one week for the resolution of disqualification petitions against Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Shiv Sena MLAs who aligned with the BJP to form a new government in June 2022.

A bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra referred to the Supreme Court’s May 11 verdict on the Maharashtra political crisis, which had directed the speaker to decide on the disqualification petitions in a reasonable time. The bench emphasized the importance of the speaker adhering to the Supreme Court’s dignity and verdict.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the speaker, was asked to inform the court about the timeline set by the speaker for handling the disqualification petitions.

The bench emphasized the need for respect and adherence to the Supreme Court’s directions and scheduled the plea filed by the Shiv Sena (UBT) faction, seeking the disqualification of Eknath Shinde and other Shiv Sena MLAs supporting him, for a hearing in two weeks.

The bench noted that the speaker, as a tribunal under the tenth schedule of the Constitution, is subject to the court’s jurisdiction. It expressed concern that no action had been taken regarding the pending disqualification petitions since the May 11 judgment.

The Uddhav Thackeray faction had approached the Supreme Court in July, seeking a directive to the state assembly speaker to promptly adjudicate the disqualification petitions within a specific timeframe.

The petition, filed by Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) MLA Sunil Prabhu, who had submitted the disqualification petitions against Eknath Shinde and other MLAs in 2022 as the chief whip of the undivided Shiv Sena, alleged that Speaker Rahul Narwekar was intentionally delaying the adjudication despite the Supreme Court’s verdict.