Disqualification pleas against Shiv Sena MLAs: Not interested in delay but won’t hurry either, says Maharashtra Speaker

Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar has said he would not delay the decision regarding the disqualification pleas against Shiv Sena MLAs but won’t rush in either which could result in the “miscarriage of justice”. Mr. Narwekar was speaking to reporters on September 18 evening after the Supreme Court directed him to spell out the timeline within a week for adjudication of the disqualification petitions filed against Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Shiv Sena MLAs loyal to him. The plea by Shiv Sena MLA Sunil Prabhu, who as the chief whip of the undivided Shiv Sena had filed the disqualification petitions against Mr. Shinde and other MLAs in 2022, alleged Speaker Rahul Narwekar is deliberately delaying the adjudication despite the verdict of the Supreme Court. On May 11, the Supreme Court ruled that Mr. Shinde will continue to be the Chief Minister of Maharashtra as it cannot reinstate the MVA coalition government headed by Uddhav Thackeray since the Shiv Sena leader chose to resign without facing a floor test in the wake of a rebellion in his party.