Nagpur: On the first day of the Winter Session of the State Legislature in Nagpur, Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar addressed the pressing issue of pending MLA disqualification petitions. Narwekar acknowledged the necessity for additional time to deliberate on these petitions, a move prompted by the Supreme Court’s directive. “More time will have to be given to him to decide on the MLA disqualification petitions,” the Speaker stated.
Narwekar said, “The disqualification petitions will be heard during this Winter Session. I will take maximum time for hearing. Managing the session and this hearing is a challenge. But if there are important matters for giving full time to the session, I will attend to them. We will conduct a hearing by looking at the daily proceedings of the legislature. My work will be at least 12 hours from 9 am to 9 pm”, said the Speaker.
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Tuesday 12 Nov. 2024
Expressing discontent over the prolonged delay in addressing the issue, the Supreme Court had instructed Narwekar to adjudicate on the pleas submitted by the two factions of Shiv Sena. The court specified a deadline of December 31 for petitions from the Shiv Sena factions and January 31 for those from the two factions of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).
Of the 54 Sena MLAs, 40 are with Shinde and 14 with the Uddhav Thackeray faction. Narwekar emphasized the importance of ensuring justice to the people, highlighting the essence of democracy where the decision of the majority holds significance. He assured adherence to legal provisions, rules, and constitutional mandates in arriving at a decision that aligns with public expectations.
The delay in resolving these petitions has sparked concerns over the stability and representation within the Assembly. Narwekar’s commitment to upholding the law and democratic principles suggests a meticulous approach in arriving at a decision that echoes the will of the majority while complying with legal norms. However, the impending deadlines set by the apex court add pressure on the Speaker to expedite the resolution of these contentious disqualification petitions.
