Maha disqualification: SC expresses displeasure over Speaker’s inaction
The Speaker has to honour the dignity of the Supreme Court and abide by its verdict, the bench said
Supreme Court of India
NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday directed the Maharashtra Assembly Speaker to spell out the timeline within a week for adjudication of the disqualification petitions filed against Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Shiv Sena MLAs loyal to him who had tied up with the BJP to form a new government in June 2022.
A bench comprising Chief Justice DY Chandrachud and justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra referred to its May 11 verdict and the direction it issued to the Speaker to decide the disqualification petitions within a reasonable time. The Speaker has to honour the dignity of the Supreme Court and abide by its verdict, the bench said.
It asked Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Speaker, to inform it about the time frame being set by the chair for disposal of the disqualification petitions. “We expect deference and dignity to the directions issued by the Supreme Court,” the bench said and listed the plea by Shiv Sena (UBT) faction seeking disqualification of Shinde and the MLAs supporting him after two weeks.
The Speaker is a “tribunal under the tenth schedule of the Constitution”, and is thus amenable to the court’s jurisdiction, the bench said, adding nothing has been done about the pending disqualification petitions after the May 11 judgment.
Chief Justice Chandrachud
“We now direct that the procedural directions shall be issued by the Speaker within a week setting out a timeline to complete the proceedings. The SG shall inform the court about the timeline being set for disposing of the proceedings,” the bench said.
The Uddhav Thackeray faction had moved the court in July seeking direction to the Speaker to expeditiously adjudicate the disqualification petitions in a time-bound manner.