Speaker begins hearing disqualification pleas against MLAs of both Shiv Sena factions

The MLAs from both the factions of Sena were earlier issued notices by State Legislature Secretary Jeetendra Bhole asking them to be present on September 14 at the central hall of Vidhan Bhavan in Mumbai for the hearing. The MLAs assembled at the central hall around 11 am on Thursday along with their respective lawyers and submitted their replies.

A total of 34 petitions are being heard by Narvekar currently.

While senior counsels Devadatt Kamat and Asim Sarode appeared for the Sena (UBT) MLAs, senior counsels Anil Sakhare and Anil Singh represented Shinde-led Sena MLAs.

As the hearing began, Sena (UBT) MLA Sunil Prabhu, chief whip of Sena (UBT) legislative party, submitted a memorandum to Narvekar requesting to finish the hearing of all on Thursday itself and give the decision on the same. Prabhu also submitted a few documents as an evidence.

Anil Sakhare said his team did not receive relevant documents from the opposite side and sought the documents as well as more time.

Following this, Narvekar gave two weeks to both the factions to exchange the documents with each other and submit their replies, say and evidences during this time.

“The action will be taken following all the rules. The hearing was held on all 34 petitions. I am holding these hearings in a quasi judicial capacity and all the Constitutional provisions will be followed during the hearing and appropriate action would be taken. We will inform the petitioners about the next date of hearing soon,” Narwekar said.

Ravindra Waikar, an MLA from the Uddhav faction, however, said that Shinde group’s claim (of not getting documents) was part of its delaying tactic.

“It is the Speaker’s work to provide all relevant documents to both sides. This is nothing but delaying tactics. The decision on these petitions should have been given by now,” Wairkar said, further adding that the Sena (UBT) is demanding that all the petitions against them should be clubbed and heard together to save time.

Sarode also levelled allegations of delaying tactics and said that he hopes the decision will be given next week. “Despite the submission of all the documents, they claimed that they haven’t got the documents. So a few weeks time has been given now. This is a delaying tactic. All petitions must to be heard together… the apex court in its verdict has already said that the MLAs should be disqualified, now the Speaker has to just take a decision,” Sarode said.

While pronouncing the verdict on Shiv Sena versus Shiv Sena on May 11, the Constitution bench of the Supreme Court had said that it would not interfere in the disqualification proceedings against 16 Sena MLAs including Shinde and stated that the Speaker must decide the same within a reasonable period.

Despite over four months after the verdict, the hearing on the petitions filed by both the factions against each other was yet to take place.

In July, Narwekar had issued notices to 40 MLAs of the Shinde-led Sena and 14 of the Thackeray faction, seeking their replies on disqualification petitions against them.