The Supreme Court expressed disapproval on Maharastra Speaker Rahul Narwekar over delays in ruling on disqualification of lawmakers in the Thakre vs Shinde war that erupted after some lawmakers quit the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena and aligned with the rebel faction led by the Eknath Shinde.A bench led by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud told Solicitor General Tushar Mehta to appear for Mr Narwekar. “Mr SG, he has to decide. He cant do this”.The Supreme Court demanded to know what had been done in response to the courts May 11 judgment issued by the Constitution bench this year, in which the speaker was directed to decide the disqualification petitions within a “reasonable period”, warning Rahul Narwekar he could not continue to drag his feet after having already been given nearly five months.#WATCH | Delhi: In the hearing at Supreme Court today, SC said that as per its judgement released on May 11 wherein it was decided that Maharashtra Legislative Assembly Speaker will take a decision regarding disqualification, no proceedings held so far even after four months.… pic.twitter.com/TzwhLMmhUq— ANI (@ANI) September 18, 2023 The bench, comprising Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, Justice JB Parduwala, Justice Manoj Prabhu, and Justice Manoj Mishra, heard the plea filed by Shiv Sena MP Sunil Parbhu, seeking the direction of the Maharashtra speaker to expeditiously decide on the qualification pleas pending against rebel Sena MLAs led by Eknath Sinde.The hearing will continue next week. Speaker Narwekar sent notices to 40 members of the Shinde-led Sena and 14 members of the Thackeray faction in July, asking for their responses to petitions seeking their disqualification.Aaditya Thackeray, the leader of the Shiv Sena (UBT), and CM Shinde were among the 54 MLAs targeted by the notices.Rutuja Latke, a Sena (UBT) MLA who was elected following the Shiv Sena split last year, was not, however, the subject of a notice. Eknath Shinde will remain Maharashtras chief minister, the Supreme Court ruled on May 11. As a result of Shindes uprising, the coalition government led by Uddhav Thackeray was forced to resign without being put to a floor test.
