New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday (October 30) directed Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar to decide on petitions filed by the two factions of Shiv Sena over the disqualification of MLAs on or before December 31. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta on behalf of the Maharashtra Speaker informed the court that the Speaker will decide the cross-petitions filed by rival factions of the Shiv Sena seeking disqualification by January 31, 2024. The Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud asked him to finish off the process by December 31, 2023. "We are concerned that the sanctity of the tenth schedule must be maintained. Otherwise, we are throwing these provisions to the wind," it said.
The tenth schedule of the Constitution is designed to prevent political defections. "The procedural wranglings should not be permitted to delay the petitions. We direct that proceedings shall be concluded and directions passed by December 31, 2023," the bench also comprising Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra said.
SC gives Speaker January 31 to decide disqualifications within NCP
The Supreme Court has also directed the Maharashtra Assembly Speaker to decide by January 31, 2024 the disqualification petitions of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) group led by Sharad Pawar against a group of rebel legislators led by Ajit Pawar faction.
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