New Delhi: The Supreme Court of India Friday October 13, 2023 came down heavily on the Maharashtra Assembly Speaker, Rahul Narwekar, for pending a decision on the plea for disqualification of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and several MLAs.
Visibly angry over the delay by Narwekar, the Chief Justice of India said the Speaker "cannot defeat the orders" of the apex court.
"Somebody has to advise the Speaker that he cannot defeat the orders of the Supreme Court," a bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud said and asked Solicitor General Tushar Mehta to apprise the court about the timeline for deciding the issue.
"He must give the impression that he is taking the matter seriously. Since June, there is no action in the matter...What has happened in the case? Nothing. This cannot become a charade. There has to be a hearing," CJI Chandrachud said.
The CJI said decision on disqualification pleas has to be taken before next assembly elections or the whole process will become infructuous.
The bench said if it is not satisfied with the timeline of the Speaker then it would direct that the decision be taken within two months.
"The decision has to be taken well before the next elections. This cannot go on merrily to render the whole process infructuous," the CJI said.
The CJI also asked Rohatgi why his clients were fearing a decision by the Speaker.
"The writ of this court has to run when there is a decision contrary to the Constitution of India," the bench said, indicating that it may hear the plea on Monday or Tuesday.
On September 18, the top court had directed the Maharashtra assembly speaker to spell out the timeline for adjudication of the disqualification petitions against Shinde and other MLAs.
The Supreme Court of India was hearing a petition filed by the Sunil Prabhu (member of Uddhav Thackeray faction) seeking expeditious decision by the Speaker on the disqualification of MLAs.
The Maharashtra political issue reached the Supreme Court after as many as 34 MLAs of Shiv Sena led by Eknath Shinde rebelled and joined the BJP to form a government in the state, overthrowing the Uddhav Thackeray government
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