Uddhav moves Supreme Court against Speaker’s decision

Shiv Sena (Shinde) faction on Monday moved to the Bombay High Court challenging Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Rahul Narvekar’s decision of not disqualifying MLAs of the Uddhav Thackeray faction.

On the other hand, Shiv Sena (UBT) has moved to the Supreme Court challenging Speaker Rahul Narvekar’s decision to declare the Shinde faction as the “real Shiv Sena”. The plea has also challenged Narvekar’s order refusing to disqualify MLAs of the Shinde faction, alleging the Speaker’s actions were “politically motivated”.

On January 10, Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Rahul Narvekar, while reading the order on the cross-petitions by two Shiv Sena factions, had ruled that the MLAs of either side cannot be disqualified, adding that “Shinde faction was the real Shiv Sena political party when rival factions emerged on 21st June 2022.”

“All the petitions seeking disqualification of MLAs are rejected. No MLA disqualified from any faction of Shiv Sena,” Narvekar had said.

Reacting to the verdict, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray had said it seemed the Speaker did not understand his responsibilities and called the decision the “murder of democracy”.

“I think he (speaker Rahul Narvekar) did not understand his responsibilities. Supreme Court provided a framework to be followed and even accepted our nomination of Chief Whip. I think the decision was beyond his understanding. Now we will see if the tribunal is above the Supreme Court…The people of the state do not accept this decision…” Thackeray said.

Aditya Thackeray had stated that the party will fight a legal battle against the Speaker’s decision.

“A legal battle will be fought against the decision given by the Assembly Speaker. It is shocking that such a decision comes even though we have given all the video recordings to the Election Commission. Democracy has been killed in our country. Hitler Shahi has started in the country.. and he will continue to fight against injustice,” Thackeray said.