In a recent development, the Supreme Court has granted an extension until February 15 for the Speaker of the Maharashtra Assembly, Rahul Narwekar, to deliver his verdict on the disqualification proceedings involving two factions of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). The decision comes in response to a plea from Narwekar, who sought additional time to conclude the proceedings related to the Ajit Pawar faction.
Originally, the court had set a deadline for the speaker to make a decision by January 31, emphasizing the importance of adhering to the constitutional provisions outlined in the tenth schedule. However, Narwekar, represented by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, cited his ongoing engagement with the disqualification petitions of Shiv Sena MLAs as the reason for the delay and requested a realistic three-week extension.
The dispute within the NCP arose when a section of the party, led by Ajit Pawar, broke ranks to join the BJP-Shiv Sena coalition in the Maharashtra government. Subsequently, Ajit Pawar assumed the position of the state’s deputy chief minister, along with eight other NCP MLAs becoming ministers. The Sharad Pawar faction responded by filing a disqualification petition, asserting their claim as the “real” NCP.
The legal battle reached the Supreme Court when petitions were filed by the Sharad Pawar faction, urging the court to intervene and direct Speaker Narwekar to decide on the disqualification pleas against the Ajit Pawar faction. The apex court had initially set the deadline for the speaker’s decision to January 31, which was extended to February 15 in the latest ruling.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta informed the court that the tribunal would conclude the disqualification proceedings by January 31 and would require three weeks for the dictation of its order. However, senior advocate A. M. Singhvi, representing the petitioner Jayant Patil, argued that a week would suffice for the speaker to deliver the verdict. The Supreme Court ultimately granted the speaker the extended timeline, setting the new deadline for February 15.
This extension comes amidst a series of disqualification proceedings within the Maharashtra Assembly, with the court directing the speaker to prioritize petitions concerning Shiv Sena factions before addressing the NCP ones. The Sharad Pawar camp had filed disqualification petitions against 40 MLAs for alleged anti-party activities following Ajit Pawar’s departure from the NCP to join the coalition government. The court’s decision to grant an extension reflects the complex nature of political dynamics and legal intricacies surrounding the ongoing disputes within Maharashtra’s political landscape.