SC to Decide Fate of Maharashtra Govt, to pronounce verdict of MLA disqualification

Delhi (India), February 12, 2023: The Supreme Court is set to hear a case related to the Maharashtra political crisis on February 14.

The case, filed by the Shiv Sena faction led by Uddhav Thackeray, seeks the disqualification of MLAs of the Eknath Shinde-led group who rebelled against the party’s leadership last year.

The top court has asked the Shinde faction to redraft the legal issues of split, merger, defection, and disqualification raised in petitions filed by the Thackeray camp.

Meanwhile, Devendra Fadnavis, the state’s Deputy Chief Minister, has said that the ruling Eknath Shinde-BJP coalition in Maharashtra is a legitimate government, and that the result of the legal proceedings will be in their favour.

Sanjay Raut, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader and Rajya Sabha MP, has strongly criticized Mr. Fadnavis’ statement, saying that neither the Supreme Court nor the Election Commission will pay heed to what “non-entities” say and that the truth shall prevail.

The Uddhav Thacekray-led Shiv Sena faction predicts the collapse of the state government, which came to power in June 2022 after Mr. Shinde pulled down the tripartite Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government.

The Tenth Schedule of the Constitution provides for the prevention of defections of the elected and nominated members from their political party and contains stringent provisions against defections.

The Shinde group has said that the anti-defection law is not a weapon for a leader who has lost the confidence of his own party to lock his members up and somehow hang on to power.

The outcome of the Supreme Court proceedings is expected to bring clarity on the legal validity of the state government and the fate of the rebel MLAs.