Relief for Sena rebels as SC puts disqualification notices on hold
In a relief to rebel Shiv Sena MLAs in Maharashtra, the Supreme Court on Monday kept in abeyance the disqualification proceedings before the Deputy Speaker of the state Assembly till July 11, and also sought responses from the state government and others on their pleas questioning the legality of notices seeking their disqualification.
A vacation bench of Justices Surya Kant and J B Pardiwala also refused to pass any interim order on a vehement plea by senior advocate Devdutt Kamat, appearing for the MVA government, that in the meantime there should not be any floor test in the Assembly. The court said the state government can always approach it in case of any illegality.
Directing the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government to protect the “life, liberty, and property” of the 39 rebel Shiv Sena MLAs, headed by minister Eknath Shinde, and their family members, the top court said the rebels may file replies to the disqualification notices till 5:30 pm on July 12.
“Meanwhile as an interim measure, the time granted by the Deputy Speaker of the Assembly to the petitioners or other similarly placed Members of the Legislative Assembly to submit their written submissions up to today by 5.30 pm is extended till July 12, 2022.”
The top court, while posting the matter for further hearing on July 11, said it wants the status quo to continue till it balances competing claims made by rival Shiv Sena camps.
Shinde and 15 other rebel Shiv Sena MLAs have moved the top court challenging the disqualification notices issued by the Deputy Speaker under the Tenth Schedule of Constitution on grounds including defection.
Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut on Monday termed the Enforcement Directorate’s summons issued to him as a “conspiracy” to stop him from fighting against their political opponents, and said he will not be able to appear before the agency on Tuesday as he has to attend a meeting in Alibaug.
Raut, who is the Shiv Sena’s chief spokesperson, also said that even if he is killed, he will not resort to the “Guwahati route” taken by rebel MLAs from Maharashtra.
The ED has summoned Rajya Sabha member Raut on Tuesday for questioning in a money laundering probe linked to the re-development of a Mumbai ‘chawl’ and other related financial transactions involving his wife and friends, officials said. The development comes as the Shiv Sena battles rebellion from a group of its MLAs, putting a question mark on the future of Maharashtra’s Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government. Rebel Shiv Sena legislators, who were first taken to Surat, are now camping in Guwahati.
Raut in a tweet said, “I just came to know that the ED has summoned me. Good! There are big political developments in Maharashtra. We, Balasaheb’s Shivsainiks are fighting a big battle. This is a conspiracy to stop me. Even if you behead me, I won’t take the Guwahati route.” “Arrest me ! Jai Hind!” he added.