Maharashtra: ‘Matter sub-judice’, Governor Koshyari denies nod for Speaker poll on March 16

The MVA government was keen on holding the elections on March 16.

A letter sent by the Raj Bhavan to the Maharashtra government dated March 15, said, “Since the matter is sub-judice, the date for election of Speaker of the Legislative Assembly cannot be fixed.” Accordingly, the Governor’s office returned the file relating to the same.

The MVA government had recently made changes to amend the election procedure for the Speaker’s post. Principal Secretary (Legislature), on December 23, 2021, had issued notification making amendments to the procedure. The notification was issued after proposed changes were suggested by the rules committee to Rule 6 and Rule 7 of the MLA Rules, for the election of Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the state Assembly.

By the amended rules, the “secret ballot” system for election of Speaker or Deputy Speaker of Assembly has been replaced with an “open” voting system by “show of hands or voice vote”. Moreover, the date of election of the Speaker is to be notified by the Governor on the recommendation of the chief minister.

The state government had on March 9 proposed to the Governor that the Speaker’s election be held on March 16.

The BJP, meanwhile, had moved Bombay High Court challenging the changes made to the Speaker’s election process. The HC, however, struck down the PIL filed by Girish Mahajan, describing it as a “politically induced litigation”. Mahajan has since approached the Supreme Court against the HC order.

The post of the Assembly Speaker fell vacant last February after Nana Patole resigned from the post and became the state Congress president. Thereafter, as per Rule 9 of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly Rules, 1960, Narhari Zirwal, the Deputy Speaker of the Assembly, started discharging duties of the Speaker