MUMBAI: State Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar on Friday decided to club the 34 petitions in the Shiv Sena MLAs disqualification case into six groups based on the cause of action. Of the six groups, four groups have petitions filed by the Sena (UBT) and two groups have petitions filed by the Eknath Shinde-led Sena.
Narwekar has also asked Shinde-led Sena to submit before him by October 25, documents that the two factions have submitted in the Supreme Court. The next hearing of the MLAs on the clubbed petitions will be held on October 26. Legislature officials said all those petitions that have a common cause of action have been clubbed and will be heard together. ” Disqualification petitions for not attending party meetings, defying party whip and not following party whip during election of the Speaker or voting contrary to the party whip will be heard together. This will in effect reduce the span of the proceedings and the matter can be decided sooner. One of the groups has petitions related to the three independent MLAs,” an official said.
Narwekar also asked the factions not to submit new applications before him as it will lead to a delay the proceedings. Narwekar rapped the Uddhav faction for filing new applications at the last minute. “The Uddhav faction filed an application asking for documents from the Shinde faction. This was a redundant petition since the Shinde faction has already replied saying they didn’t have those documents. The Speaker told them that they (Uddhav faction) were trying to run with the hare and hunt with the hounds. They are seeking an early decision but end up filing more applications. The application was allowed, but the Speaker recorded his displeasure,” the official said.
During the hearings so far, the Uddhav Thackeray faction demanded that the petitions be clubbed and a joint hearing be held of all the MLAs, but the Eknath Shinde faction opposed the demand and instead said that an independent hearing should be held.
After a rap from the SC, Speaker Narwekar is set to submit a revised schedule to the SC, indicating that he is likely to conclude the disqualification proceedings by February 2024. Narwekar is expected to discuss the issue with Advocate General Birendra Saraf in Mumbai next week and then travel to New Delhi to consult Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, before submitting the revised schedule to the SC on October 30.
“Also, the Speaker is likely to curtail and limit the opportunity to lead evidence and for cross examination. Considering all these factors, the matter can be concluded expeditiously,” said a legislature official.
Narwekar has also asked Shinde-led Sena to submit before him by October 25, documents that the two factions have submitted in the Supreme Court. The next hearing of the MLAs on the clubbed petitions will be held on October 26. Legislature officials said all those petitions that have a common cause of action have been clubbed and will be heard together. ” Disqualification petitions for not attending party meetings, defying party whip and not following party whip during election of the Speaker or voting contrary to the party whip will be heard together. This will in effect reduce the span of the proceedings and the matter can be decided sooner. One of the groups has petitions related to the three independent MLAs,” an official said.
Narwekar also asked the factions not to submit new applications before him as it will lead to a delay the proceedings. Narwekar rapped the Uddhav faction for filing new applications at the last minute. “The Uddhav faction filed an application asking for documents from the Shinde faction. This was a redundant petition since the Shinde faction has already replied saying they didn’t have those documents. The Speaker told them that they (Uddhav faction) were trying to run with the hare and hunt with the hounds. They are seeking an early decision but end up filing more applications. The application was allowed, but the Speaker recorded his displeasure,” the official said.
During the hearings so far, the Uddhav Thackeray faction demanded that the petitions be clubbed and a joint hearing be held of all the MLAs, but the Eknath Shinde faction opposed the demand and instead said that an independent hearing should be held.
After a rap from the SC, Speaker Narwekar is set to submit a revised schedule to the SC, indicating that he is likely to conclude the disqualification proceedings by February 2024. Narwekar is expected to discuss the issue with Advocate General Birendra Saraf in Mumbai next week and then travel to New Delhi to consult Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, before submitting the revised schedule to the SC on October 30.
“Also, the Speaker is likely to curtail and limit the opportunity to lead evidence and for cross examination. Considering all these factors, the matter can be concluded expeditiously,” said a legislature official.
