Maharashtra Legislature Secretary Rajendra Bhagwat has issued show cause notices to 53 MLAs of both factions of Shiv Sena after receiving complaints from the two sides. All MLAs are expected to respond within a week’s time. 39 MLAs belonging to the faction of Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and 14 to the Uddhav Thackeray group.
Bhagwat, on being asked about the show-cause notices to 53 Shiv Sena MLAs said, “Whenever we get any application, we have to act on it. So, notices have been issued to each MLA against whom there was an application.”
Ahead of Monday’s important hearing in the Apex Court regarding the disqualification of rebel Shiv Sena MLAs, Maharashtra Deputy Speaker Narhari Zirwal has told the Supreme Court that there is “no better way to reward defection than offering its leader the post of Chief Minister”. Zirwal said that the rebel MLAs should be disqualified and should be suspended until disqualification proceedings are complete.
The Supreme Court, on 27 June, had issued notice to the Deputy Speaker after the political turmoil reached the top court. The SC had sought his reply on the plea filed by the Eknath Shinde camp against his disqualification notices.
In response to Shinde’s appeal, Zirwal wrote: “The MLAs have engaged in anti-party activities and deserve to be disqualified as Members of the Maharashtra Assembly.”
His response to the court read that the rebels have committed the “constitutional sin of defection”. Shinde was “hand-in-glove with the BJP all along”.
Their conduct is “egregious and palpable” and their membership in the party should be terminated, Zirwal stressed.
The Deputy Speaker also asked the Apex Court to not allow rebels to enter the assembly or to participate in any House proceedings until disqualification proceedings are complete.