Shiv Sena (Uddhav Thackeray faction) MLA Sunil Prabhu has moved the Supreme Court to seek a speedy resolution of the disqualification pleas against Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and 15 rebel Sena MLAs. Prabhu has accused the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly Speaker of bias and deliberately delaying the decision on the disqualification petitions.
The Supreme Court had previously acknowledged that the rift within the Shiv Sena does not constitute extraordinary circumstances and therefore deemed it appropriate for the Speaker to decide on the disqualification pleas. However, despite the court’s directions to decide the matter within a reasonable time, the Speaker has not taken any action.
Prabhu’s plea argues that the Speaker’s inaction is a grave constitutional impropriety as it allows the disqualified MLAs to retain their positions in the assembly and hold responsible positions in the Maharashtra government. It further asserts that the Speaker, by his inaction, has demonstrated his inability to function as a fair and unbiased tribunal under Schedule 10.
Interestingly, the Supreme Court ruling left the door open for the disqualification of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde for defection from the Shiv Sena party. However, the court could not overturn Uddhav Thackeray’s resignation or reinstate him as Chief Minister.
The plea filed by Sunil Prabhu highlights the urgency of resolving the disqualification pleas and emphasizes the Speaker’s failure to fulfill his constitutional duties. It raises concerns about the neutrality of the Speaker and seeks intervention from the Supreme Court to ensure a fair and expeditious resolution of the matter.
It remains to be seen how the Supreme Court will respond to this plea and whether it will intervene to expedite the decision on the disqualification petitions against Eknath Shinde and the rebel Sena MLAs. As the political landscape in Maharashtra continues to evolve, the resolution of these pleas will have significant implications for the state’s governance.
