Maharashtra: 54 MLAs get 7-day deadline to avoid disqualification
Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar on Saturday reportedly issued notices to 54 MLAs—including 40 from the Shiv Sena led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and 14 legislators of the Shiv Sena (UBT)—seeking their response to disqualification petitions against them. According to reports, the legislators have been given seven days as a deadline to respond along with all necessary evidence to avoid disqualification action.
Why does this story matter?
The legislators have been facing disqualification since the erstwhile Shiv Sena split after Shinde, along with his associates, rebelled against former CM Uddhav Thackeray last year and partnered with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to become the chief minister. In 2019, the Thackeray-led Sena (then undivided) left the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) to form Maharashtra's Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) coalition.
Speaker to summon Shinde, Thackeray over disqualification pleas
Narwekar received a copy of the Shiv Sena's constitution from the Election Commission of India (ECI) and would soon initiate a hearing on the disqualification pleas against the said MLAs, PTI reported. The Supreme Court will also reportedly soon hear disqualification petitions against 16 Sena MLAs, including Shinde. The speaker will likely summon Shinde and Thackeray, too, to share their perspectives and provide proof.
Aaditya Thackeray not given notice
According to India Today, Thackeray's son Aaditya Thackeray and Rutuja Latke, who won the Andheri (East) bypoll last year, weren't among the MLAs issued notices on Saturday. Earlier, Sunil Prabhu, a Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA, filed a petition in the Supreme Court, seeking to direct the Maharashtra Assembly speaker to expeditiously decide on the disqualification petitions against the 16 rebel MLAs, including Shinde.
What triggered political row in Maharashtra
On May 11, however, the Supreme Court asked the speaker to consider the fate of 16 Shiv Sena MLAs, including Shinde, accused of anti-party conduct. Shinde and 15 other MLAs launched a mutiny against then-CM Thackeray in June 2022, resulting in the fall of the MVA coalition government. Shinde and the dissident MLAs then joined forces with the BJP to form a new government.
