SC sets deadline for Maha Speaker to decide on Sena, NCP disqualification petitions

The Supreme Court on Monday directed the Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar to decide by December 31 and January 31, 2024, the disqualification petitions against Shiv Sena and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) MLAs, respectively. 

The apex court bench led by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud passed this order after expressing displeasure over the affidavit filed on behalf of speaker seeking time to decide on disqualification pleas. It rejected the proposal of Narwekar to conclude proceedings on disqualification petitions by February 29, 2024.

The CJI remarked that there are two distinct issues- the Shiv Sena issue which was dealt by the Constitution Bench and the second is Ajit Pawar's which the court believes should be given some reasonable time. 

Expressing the displeasure over delay, CJI said that the procedural wranglings should not be permitted to delay the petitions. “We are concerned that the sanctity of the tenth schedule must be maintained. Otherwise, we are throwing these provisions to the wind.” 

While the Speaker had sought time till February 29, 2024, to conclude the hearing, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, who appeared for Maharashtra speaker, informed the court that the speaker would decide on pleas seeking disqualification by January 31. 

The bench was hearing the pleas filed by Sunil Prabhu, member of Shiv Sena (Uddhav Thackeray) and Jayant Patil, member of NCP (Sharad Pawar) seeking expeditious decision by the Speaker on the disqualification petitions. The top court in October had granted a "final opportunity" to Speaker to give a ‘realistic time schedule’ for disposal of disqualification petitions.