Maharashtra MLA disqualification proceedings to begin next week: Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar

Amid the developing political situation in Maharashtra and the Supreme Court direction, Speaker Rahul Narwekar on Friday said that he would hear the disqualification petitions filed against each other by warring Shiv Sena factions — led by Eknath Shinde and Uddhav Thackeray — next week. 

On 18 September, the Supreme Court asked Narwekar, Speaker of Maharashtra Legislative Assembly, to spell out a timeline within a week on the disqualification petitions.

After the Supreme Court order, Narwekar, a BJP MLA from Colaba, who himself is a lawyer, had visited Delhi, during which he is said to have consulted legal and constitutional experts. 

In June 2022, Shinde, who is now the chief leader of Shiv Sena, had toppled the Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi dispensation - triggering a bunch of disqualification petitions from both the sides, each of whom claims to be the original legislature party. 

On February 17, the Election Commission legitimised the Shinde-faction as the real Shiv Sena and allotted them the bow-and-arrow symbol.

On May 11, the Supreme Court stated that Thackeray's position as Chief Minister cannot be restored as he had resigned before the floor test. However, it passed strictures on the functioning of then Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari. 

“On 14 September, the proceedings commenced…The (further) hearing on the disqualification pleas will be early next week,” Narwekar  said on Friday. 

Earlier, after the Supreme Court order, Narwekar said there would neither be delay nor haste in deciding on the issue. 

Meanwhile, Thackeray and Shiv Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Raut said Narwekar has so much experience in changing parties that the thought of the act of switching sides is wrong or unconstitutional would never cross his mind. This was a reference to the fact that Narwekar was once with the Thackeray-led Shiv Sena and then Sharad Pawar-led NCP.