The Supreme Court will pronounce its verdict on Thursday on a clutch of cross-petitions filed by the Uddhav Thackeray and Eknath Shinde factions of the Shiv Sena pertaining to the 2022 Maharashtra political crisis.
A five-judge constitution bench headed by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud will deliver its verdict on pleas related to the political crisis that led to the fall of the three-party MVA government led by Uddhav Thackeray following a revolt by Shinde.
As per the cause list published on the Supreme Court’s website, a single judgement will be pronounced by Justice Chandrachud.
The judgment will decide the fate of the Sena-BJP government led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, who is one of the 16 MLAs whose disqualification plea is before the Supreme Court.
Last June, Shinde and 39 MLAs rebelled against the undivided Shiv Sena leadership resulting in the party’s split and collapse of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government, which also comprised the NCP and Congress, led by Uddhav. Shinde later tied up with the BJP to return as the CM.
On 16 March, the top court had reserved its verdict on the pleas at the conclusion of lengthy arguments from both sides that went on for nine days starting 21 February.
On the last day of hearing, the top court had wondered as to how it can reinstate the Uddhav government when the chief minister had put in his papers even before facing the floor test, after the faction led by him pitched for setting aside the governor’s June 2022 order to the CM for a trial of strength in the House.
