‘Highly improper’: Uddhav questions CM Eknath Shinde-Speaker Rahul Narwekar meeting, files affidavit in SC

“If the judge (Narwekar) is going to meet the accused, what should we expect from that judge?” Uddhav Thackeray asked, speaking to the media at Matoshree, his residence in Mumbai. “This is the case that will prove whether democracy will survive in the country or not. This is going to be the deciding factor for democracy in the country,” he added.

Narwekar met Shinde at Varsha, the chief minister’s official residence, on Sunday. Last year, a similar meeting between the two in October had drawn criticism from the Opposition.

“Speaker has visited Chief Minister Eknath Shinde twice at his home. The judge is going and meeting the accused… So what can we expect from that judge? There is no problem if he met the chief minister otherwise but he met while the case was going on…They are openly meeting. We request the Supreme Court… this is happening in front of your eyes,” Uddhav said.

In its affidavit, the Shiv Sena (UBT) has requested the Supreme Court to place Narwekar’s actions on record. “It is highly improper for the Speaker to meet Eknath Shinde three days before deciding on the disqualification petition. The Speaker is required to act in an impartial manner. However, the present act of the Speaker raises questions about his fairness and impartiality in the decision-making process. The present act of the Speaker is in violation of the legal maxim that justice should not only be done, it should also be seen,” the affidavit stated.

Referring to the situation as one where “democracy is being killed”, Uddhav said that the MLAs’ disqualification case was being heard in the Supreme Court for two years. “Last April, the Supreme Court had said that the verdict should be delivered in a reasonable time. December 31 was given as the date but the hearing is going on… we noticed they were wasting time,” Uddhav alleged.