Maharashtra Governor BS Koshyari directs to hold election for Speaker’s post

In a rare development, Governor BS Koshyari has directed the Maharashtra legislature to hold elections for the post of Speaker of the Assembly, which is lying vacant following the resignation of Nana Patole who was appointed as state Congress chief

In a rare development, Governor BS Koshyari has directed the Maharashtra legislature to hold elections for the post of Speaker of the Assembly, which is lying vacant following the resignation of Nana Patole who was appointed as state Congress chief.

Last Thursday, the Thackeray government had denied permission to Koshyari (in pic) to use the state’s aeroplane to travel to Dehradun. (Kunal Patil/HT Photo)

Koshyari’s directive assumes significance in the context of the on-going tussle between him and the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government in the state. It also comes barely a week after Thackeray denied a state aircraft to Koshyari to travel to Uttarakhand last Thursday.

Koshyari has written a letter to the state legislature secretariat on Tuesday in connection with the Speaker’s election.

Patole resigned as Speaker on February 4 to take up new responsibility as the state Congress president.

The ruling coalition has been deliberating whether to hold the election at the beginning of the budget session of the state legislature that starts on March 1, or later.

Coalition leaders are wary of holding the election immediately since it needs to be held through a secret ballot. MVA leaders are wary that the Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) may encourage cross-voting to defeat their nominee, which would mean the collapse of the Thackeray government.

Koshyari, in his letter, directed the legislative secretariat to hold the election in the first week of the budget session, said a senior official, requesting anonymity.

The issue was discussed in a state cabinet meeting on Wednesday. The ministers expressed unhappiness over the move. “This is the first time the Governor wrote such a letter as he cannot issue such a directive without the recommendation of the state government,” said a senior minister, on condition of anonymity.

The ministers also expressed discontent over the delay in appointment of 12 names under the Governor’s quota to the legislative Council.

It has been over three months since the state cabinet recommended the 12 names to Koshyari to nominate them to the upper House as per the norms, on November 6, last year.

Rule 6 of the Maharashtra legislative Assembly rules states: “If more than one member has been so nominated, the Assembly shall proceed to elect the Speaker by ballot.”

Deputy speaker Narhari Zirwal is in charge of the Speaker’s responsibilities at present.

Last Thursday, the Thackeray government had denied permission to Koshyari to use the state’s aeroplane to travel to Dehradun. This has led to a controversy and blame game between the Raj Bhavan secretariat and the state.

According to Raj Bhavan, Koshyari had reached the international airport and even boarded the state’s aircraft, but he was told that the plane would not take off as the chief minister’s office (CMO) had not approved the travel. Consequently, permission to fly had not been sought from the aviation authority. The Governor then took a commercial flight to Dehradun.

The CMO blamed the secretariat for the entire episode. In a clarification, the CMO said that the Raj Bhavan secretariat should have ensured that they had permission to use the aircraft before the Governor departed from his official residence. The chief minister also directed to take action against the officials responsible for the negligence.