Notices to 54 MLAs of Shiv Sena soon, seven days for reply: Rahul Narvekar

Notices to submit reply on disqualification petitions within seven days to all 54 MLAs of both groups of Shiv Sena will be re-sent by Vidhan Sabha Speaker Adv Rahul Narvekar. Narvekar told Loksatta that the constitution of Shiv Sena, party chief and other information have also been sought from the Central Election Commission. MLAs have been directed to submit their submissions as the first stage of hearing proceedings on disqualification petitions.

The Shinde-Thackeray faction has filed petitions against each other to disqualify 54 MLAs except Aaditya Thackeray. Even earlier, notices were sent to MLAs a few months ago to submit their reply. But as no one has submitted the reply accordingly, now these notices will be sent again on Wednesday. A period of seven days from receipt of notice is given to file a reply. The Supreme Court has directed to decide on MLA disqualification petitions in due time. Accordingly, the speaker has initiated the process of seeking reply from the MLAs on the disqualification petitions.

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The Election Commission has recognised Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's faction as the parent party of Shiv Sena. The court also said that the commission's decision will not be applied with retrospective effect. In the change of power in the state, the vote of confidence on the state government and the election of the speaker are in July 2022. 

While deciding the disqualification petitions, the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly should also examine the constitution of the political party and other matters. The president also has to check whose side the office bearers of the party were on. Therefore, as per the constitution of Shiv Sena, who was the party chief in July 2022, under whose leadership the office bearers of the party were working and other details have been sought from the commission by the president.

Consideration of various issues: The Thackeray group has demanded the speaker to take a decision on the disqualification of 16 MLAs within seven days. However, hearing proceedings on the petitions of all 54 MLAs have been started together. The Thackeray-Shinde group and each MLA will be given an opportunity to present their arguments in the hearing and a decision is likely to be given as the hearing of each petition is completed. Sources said that legal issues are being considered whether the hearing can be completed on a petition-wise basis instead of deciding all the 54 petitions together or simultaneously, sources said.