MLAs’ disqualification: Sanjay Raut to move SC again ‘if no decision in 90 days’

“We respect the Speaker’s chair. If the Legislative Assembly Speaker does not take a decision in this case within 90 days, then we will approach the Supreme Court again,” Raut said in Aurangabad.

Raut’s statement came a day after Narvekar said at a function that “soon he will take a revolutionary decision.”

Narvekar is currently hearing the disqualification pleas against 54 Shiv Sena MLAs which have been filed by both the factions of Shiv Sena against each other.

Last month, the Supreme Court in its verdict on the disqualification of 16 Shinde-led MLAs had given Narvekar (Speaker) the right to take a decision on the disqualification pleas at a reasonable time.

Since no specific time-frame was mentioned in the verdict, the opposition parties including Shiv Sena UBT, Congress and NCP have been raising suspicion that the decision will be delayed by Narvekar in order to safeguard Shinde-led Sena MLAs.

Despite a month after the SC verdict, Narvekar is yet to begin the procedure for hearing the disqualification pleas and have not issued notices to any of the MLAs yet.

While responding to Narvekar’s statement that he will soon take a “revolutionary decision”, which is considered to be in reference to the disqualification of MLAs, Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) president Nana Patole on Thursday asked if Narvekar is going to avoid Tenth Schedule of the Constitution while taking the decision.

“If Narvekar gives any decision by ignoring the Tenth Schedule then only it could be revolutionary. But no one can ignore the Tenth Schedule,” Patole said.

In the Shiv Sena UBT’s first podcast which was launched on Wednesday, Sena UBT leader Anil Parab too had asserted that if a decision on the disqualification of MLAs is not taken by Speaker within 90 days of time, the party can again move the apex court.

“In the verdict, SC has mentioned a reasonable time, which can be three months. There is a clear case and there is no need to delay. But the Speaker comes from a political party, so we have no idea what order he will get from the political party. If the Speaker gives a decision against our plea, we will move the SC immediately,” Parab said in the podcast.