NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court is slated to hear on Tuesday a plea filed by Shiv Sena-UBT leader Sunil Prabhu challenging the ruling of Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar which had held that Chief Minister Eknath Shinde-led faction is the "real" Shiv Sena.
In January this year, a bench, headed by CJI D.Y. Chandrachud and comprising Justices J.B. Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, issued a notice and called for the response of CM Shinde and 38 other MLAs of his camp in the matter.
Former CM Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena faction petitioned the top court questioning the January 10 decision passed by Narwekar holding that the group led by CM Shinde was the real "Shiv Sena" as it commanded a majority in the legislature and also in the party’s National Executive.
The petition also challenges the dismissal of the disqualification petitions filed against CM Shinde and other MLAs of his camp.
On the other hand, CM Eknath Shinde and his MLAs have urged the Supreme Court to remand Shiv Sena-UBT’s plea to the Bombay High Court for adjudication.
It may be recalled that the Bombay High Court had already issued notice to the 14 Shiv Sena-UBT MLAs and others in a petition filed by ruling Shiv Sena's Chief Whip Bharat Gogavale seeking disqualification of Thackeray’s faction legislators.
Thackeray’s legislative flock was saved from disqualification with the cross-petitions of both sides getting dismissed by Speaker Narwekar in the impugned January 10 verdict.
The Supreme Court will also hear on Tuesday a similar plea filed by Sharad Pawar group leader Jayant Patil seeking disqualification of Ajit Pawar faction MLAs for defecting and joining the Sena-BJP govt.