The pleas were filed in the Supreme Court against the disqualification notice issued by deputy speaker Narhari Zirwal.
Mumbai: The Supreme Court has extended the time for the Shiv Sena rebel MLAs led by Eknath Shinde to file written response to the Deputy Speaker’s disqualification notice till July 12. The Court posts the matter on July 11 for further hearing.
A vacation bench of Justices Surya Kant and JB Pardiwala on Monday heard the pleas of rebel Shiv Sena MLAs, led by minister Eknath Shinde.
The pleas were filed in the Supreme Court against the disqualification notice issued by deputy speaker Narhari Zirwal to him and 15 other rebel legislators, and against the appointment of Ajay Chaudhary as the Shiv Sena’s legislative leader in the House.
During the hearing, the Supreme Court questioned why they did not move to the Bombay High Court in the matter?
Senior advocate NK Kaul, who represented the rebel MLAs, said that the Uddhav Thackeray group is in the “minority” of the legislative party and has been “subverting the state machinery”.
Kaul said that atmosphere is not conducive for these MLAs in Bombay as they have been threatened. He cited the apex court verdict in the Nabam Rebia case of Arunachal Pradesh and said the deputy speaker is not competent to proceed with the disqualification of MLAs when a plea for his removal is pending. Kaul said 39 MLAs are together against the minority group.
The apex court has also issued notices to Deputy Speaker, Secretary of Maharashtra State Legislative Assembly, Centre, and others on pleas filed by rebel MLAs against the disqualification notice issued by the Deputy Speaker Narhari Zirwal against Eknath Shinde and 15 other rebel legislators.
On the request of providing security to 39 MLAs alleging threat, the Supreme Court has recorded the statement of standing counsel of the Maharashtra govt that adequate steps have already been taken and the state government will have to ensure that no harm is caused to the life, liberty, or property of the MLAs.
Meanwhile, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut who today received an ED summons in a money laundering case was expected to appear before the probe agency tomorrow said, “I am not linked with any of the companies mentioned by the ED.
Tomorrow, I will not be able to go to appear before the probe agency as there is a rally in Alibaug that I have to address.
It’s a legal battle and I dare them to arrest me if they have orders from the BJP to do so. We all were aware that such action would be initiated against some of us amid this current political situation in Maharashtra to stop us from fighting back.
I will not be scared by such bogus cases and will not go to Guwahati. I will prefer to be jailed. Do whatever you want to do. I am Balasaheb’s Shiv Sainik. I have worked with Balasaheb for 30 years and I am the editor of the paper Saamana. I will fight for Shiv Sena from wherever I am.
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