Rahul Narwekar, the Speaker of the Maharashtra Assembly, has asserted that while he is not inclined to cause unnecessary delays in addressing the disqualification pleas against Shiv Sena MLAs, he also won’t rush the process, as that could lead to a “miscarriage of justice.”
Narwekar made these remarks during a press interaction, following a directive from the Supreme Court. The apex court had instructed him to outline a timeline for the adjudication of the disqualification petitions filed against Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and the Shiv Sena MLAs aligned with him, to be completed within a week. Regarding the Supreme Court’s comments that “apparently nothing has been done so far despite its direction for deciding the pleas within a reasonable time,” the Speaker stated that a decision would be made at the earliest possible time, while adhering to established rules and constitutional provisions. “I have not received the copy of the Supreme Court (order). I am not aware of what transpired in the court. I am not aware of the contents of the order. I will be able to comment only after perusing the court order,’’ he remarked. Narwekar assured that he would make a decision as promptly as possible, saying, “You can rest assured that a decision will be taken at the earliest possible time.” While refraining from disclosing the exact number of disqualification petitions he has received, Narwekar stated, “I am doing everything in my capacity to ensure that the verdict is given at the earliest. Several petitions are pending before me.”
The Supreme Court had directed the Maharashtra Assembly Speaker to provide a timeline for the adjudication of the disqualification petitions within a week, stating, “This cannot go on indefinitely. Tell us about the time schedule.” The court referenced its May 11 verdict concerning the Maharashtra political crisis and the directive it had issued to the Speaker to decide the disqualification petitions within a reasonable timeframe. The faction led by Uddhav Thackeray had approached the apex court in July, seeking directions for the Speaker to expedite the adjudication of the disqualification petitions in a time-bound manner. The plea, filed by Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) MLA Sunil Prabhu, who had submitted the disqualification petitions against Shinde and other MLAs in 2022, alleged that Speaker Rahul Narwekar is intentionally delaying the adjudication despite the Supreme Court’s ruling. On May 11, the Supreme Court ruled that Eknath Shinde would continue as the Chief Minister of Maharashtra, as it could not reinstate the MVA coalition government led by Uddhav Thackeray, given Thackeray’s resignation without a floor test following a rebellion within his party. Shinde, who had initiated the rebellion against Thackeray, leading to a nine-day political crisis in June the previous year, later formed a government in alliance with the BJP.
