Sena vs Sena case: Maharashtra speaker to announce verdict on disqualification pleas today
Uddhav Thackeray faction. The political temperature rose in Maharashtra on Tuesday ahead of the crucial verdict by the assembly speaker on the cross-petitions by Shiv Sena factions seeking disqualification of each other's MLAs following a split in the party, an outcome which will decide the way forward for the Eknath Shinde government and also the regional outfit's rival groups. In June 2022, Shinde and dozens of other Shiv Sena MLAs rebelled against then chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, leading to a split in the Sena and fall of the Maha Vikas Aghadi coalition government.
The disqualification petitions were filed by both Shinde and Thackeray factions against each other's legislators, seeking disqualification under the anti-defection law. Of 56 MLAs of the undivided Shiv Sena, 40 are with Shinde. The Supreme Court had on 15 December 2023 extended the deadline for Narwekar to decide the disqualification petitions from 31 December to 10 January.
While extending the deadline for deciding the disqualification petitions till January 10, the Supreme Court had said the sanctity of the 10th Schedule of the Constitution should be maintained. The top court had also asked the speaker to decide the NCP's petition seeking disqualification of nine MLAs of the Ajit Pawar group by January 31, 2024. In July last year, the Ajit Pawar faction of the NCP also joined the Shinde-led government.
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