Maharashtra news: SC to hear plea of Uddhav faction challenging disqualification proceedings on Aug 1
Both sides have accused each other of defying the party whip during the Speaker's election and the trust vote on July 3 and 4, respectively, seeking disqualification of the legislators from both sides.
Maharashtra news: The Supreme Court on Wednesday said the petitions filed by the Shiv Sena and its rebel MLAs raise many constitutional questions which require consideration by a larger bench. A bench headed by Chief Justice N V Ramana directed the parties to formulate issues which require examination by a larger bench by July 27.
"After hearing the counsels it has been agreed that some issues may, if necessary, be referred to a larger bench also. Keeping in mind the same, to enable the parties to frame the issues, let them file the same preferably by next Wednesday," the bench also comprising Justices Krishna Murari and Hima Kohli said. The matter will now be heard on August 1.
The bench also comprising justices Krishna Murari and Hima Kohli was hearing five pending peas about the recent political crisis in Maharashtra that led to the fall of the Maha Vikas Aghadi government in the state.
Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for the Uddhav faction, told a bench headed by Chief Justice N V Ramana that Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari should not have sworn in the new government when the apex court was seized of the matter. "Speaker recognising a whip other than the official whip nominated by the party is malafide," Sibal told the bench also comprising Justices Krishna Murari and Hima Kohli.
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The CJI-led bench on July 11 had granted interim relief to the Uddhav Thackeray faction MLAs by asking Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar not to proceed with the plea seeking their disqualification as sought by the Shinde group on the grounds of defying the party whip during the trust vote and the election of the speaker.
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