Relief for rebels: SC pushes disqualification deadline

Notice to Maharashtra deputy Speaker; 9 rebel ministers stripped of portfolios

In a relief to rebel Shiv Sena lawmakers, the Supreme Court (SC) on Monday kept in abeyance the disqualification proceedings before the deputy Speaker of the Maharashtra Assembly till July 11 and sought responses to pleas by rebel legislators questioning the legality of notices seeking their disqualification.

The SC, however, refused to pass any interim order on the plea of the Maharashtra government that there should not be any floor test in the Assembly and said they cannot always approach it in case of illegality.

A vacation Bench of Justices Surya Kant and J B Pardiwala directed the Maharashtra government to protect the life, liberty, and property of 39 rebel Shiv Sena MLAS and their family members. While issuing notice to the Maharashtra deputy Speaker, the SC directed him to put on affidavit records of no trust notice served upon him by rebel MLAS.

The top court also recorded the statement of Maharashtra's counsel that adequate steps have been taken to protect the life and property of rebel MLAS. The matter will now be heard on July 11.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Monday stripped nine rebel ministers, who are camping in Guwahati, of their portfolios.

An official statement said the portfolios of these ministers have been handed over to other ministers in the Thackeray-led government for ease of administration.

After the rebellion led by Shinde, the Shiv Sena now has four cabinet ministers, including CM Uddhav Thackeray, Aaditya Thackeray, Anil Parab, and Subhash Desai. Barring

Aaditya Thackeray, the rest three are MLCS.

With the Centre providing Y-plus security to Maharashtra's rebel Shiv Sena MLAS, the party claimed it was now evident that the BJP was "pulling the strings" amid the current political turmoil in the state. An editorial in the Sena mouthpiece Saamana likened the rebel MLAS to "big bulls",

and alleged that they have been "sold" for ~50 crore.

Closing ranks with beleaguered Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, senior Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan on Monday said the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) was strongly with the Shiv Sena “whether in the government or the opposition”.