SC gives Maharashtra Speaker till Feb 15 to decide on disqualification pleas against NCP's Ajit Pawar, others

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta for the Speaker submitted that three weeks further time was required to decide the matter as cross examinations took time and the presiding officer was engaged in deciding the matter related to MLAs of Shiv Sena.

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday extended the deadline for Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar to decide on disqualification petitions against Nationalist Congress Party leaders deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and others from January 31 to February 15, 2024.

A bench of Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud and Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra allowed an application filed by the Speaker seeking further time.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta for the Speaker submitted that three weeks further time was required to decide the matter as cross examinations took time and the presiding officer was engaged in deciding the matter related to Shiv Sena MLAs.

Senior advocate A M Singhvi for NCP's Jayant Patil said only one week time may be given.

The court, however, extended the time until February 15.

In October, last year, the apex court had directed the Speaker to decide the disqualification petitions as per the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution (anti defection law) by January 31, 2024.

Nationalist Congress Party, Sharad Pawar faction filed the plea in the apex court seeking a direction to the Maharashtra legislative assembly Speaker to expeditiously decide their petitions seeking disqualification of rebel MLAs led by Pawar under the anti-defection law.

A group of MLAs led by Ajit Pawar and Praful Patel had broken ranks with the NCP supremo Pawar and joined hands with the BJP and Shiv Sena MLAs led by Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde.