Will go by procedures: Maharashtra Speaker on disqualification of MLAs

Earlier in the day, a delegation of Shiv Sena (UBT) visited the Vidhan Bhavan Complex and handed over a memorandum to Deputy Speaker Narhari Zirwal

With all eyes focussed on him, Maharashtra Legislative Assembly’s Speaker Rahul Narwekar said on Monday that he would follow procedures and take reasonable time as directed by the Supreme Court in deciding on the disqualification proceedings against 16 MLAs.

“You all know... justice hurried is justice buried, justice delayed is justice denied… I will follow all the necessary procedures and follow what the Supreme Court said,” Narwekar told reporters in Mumbai after his brief visit to London.

Earlier in the day, a delegation of the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) comprising MLAs and MLCs—Sunil Prabhu, Ramesh Korgaonkar, Sunil Raut, Anil Parab, Manisha Kayande, Sachin Aher, Vilas Potnis, Sunil Shinde, and Rutuja Latke—visited the Vidhan Bhavan Complex and handed over a memorandum to Deputy Speaker Narhari Zirwal and asked that a decision on the pending disqualification proceedings against 16 MLAs, including Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, must be taken at the earliest.

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Asked about the pressure being mounted on him, Narwekar, a lawyer by training who has very good knowledge of legislative and constitutional matters, said: “I don’t work under pressure… and I am not concerned with the statements made outside.”

According to Narwekar, there are several issues involved in the matter, and the Supreme Court has made it very clear that the Speaker would prima facie determine who the political party is to adjudicate disqualification petitions under Paragraph 2(1) of the 10th Schedule, where two or more factions claim to be that political party.

“This has to be established…rest would follow,” he said.

According to him, there are aspects like leading the evidence, cross-examination, and examination-in-chief. “All these take time. However, we would go by the Supreme Court order of reasonable time,” he said.

Meanwhile, Prabhu, who is the Chief Whip, said: “Since the Speaker (Narwekar) was out of station, we met the Deputy Speaker (Zirwal) and handed over our memorandum on this issue. We have urged the Speaker to take his decision in the matter at the earliest possible.”

However, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has flayed the Opposition for indulging in ‘pressure tactics’ on the Speaker in the matter. “Let the Speaker decide on the issue… pressure must not be put on the Speaker in the matter.”