Maharashtra Assembly Speaker to hear Shiv Sena disqualification petitions next week

Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Rahul Narvekar on Friday said he will hear next week the disqualification petitions filed against each other by rival Shiv Sena factions led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and his predecessor Uddhav Thackeray.

He also confirmed that he met some legal experts in Delhi last evening to discuss disqualification law.

“The hearing on the disqualification pleas will be early next week,” Narvekar told PTI without elaborating on the dates.

"The Supreme Court had last week directed us to take a hearing next week. Also, we had already started hearing the case. On September 14, we had scheduled it for next week. Hence, we shall resume hearing the petitions next week wherein we shall decide on the procedural aspects. We shall even call the heads of both the parties if needed," Narvekar told the media at Vidhan Bhavan.

When asked about his tour of Delhi last evening, the Speaker said, "My Delhi tour was a pre-scheduled program during which I met with a few legal experts. The law pertaining to the disqualification of members of the House is an evolving one. It changes according to the situation and the surrounding circumstances, which encompass commissions and omissions. Therefore, in light of the Supreme Court order and otherwise, the discussions with legal experts in Delhi revolved around identifying the necessary changes in the law and the evolution needed for its improvement."