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Speaker issues schedule for hearing disqualification of NCP MLAs
Subsequently, on January 16, the speaker will determine the issues after hearing both sides before the actual hearing and cross-examination begins on January 20. According to the schedule, cross-questioning of both factions will start on January 20 and will continue for four days
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Mumbai: Maharashtra assembly speaker Rahul Narwekar has set a schedule for the hearing and verdict on the disqualification of MLAs from two factions of the Nationalist Congress Party. The hearing process will begin on January 6 and a verdict is expected by the end of January as mandated by the Supreme Court.
Based on this, he will begin the actual hearing and cross-examination from January 20 which is followed by final arguments before coming out with a verdict. The NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) had alleged that Narwekar is resorting to delaying tactics and they want the hearing to be completed at the earliest.
For the hearing, both factions have been asked to share their documents and replies to the notices on January 6. They have been directed to file their additional documents and citations in support of their petitions. For this, they have been given a week’s time from January 8 to 14 during which they can examine the documents, produce additional documents or apply for removing documents if any.
Subsequently, on January 16, the speaker will determine the issues after hearing both sides before the actual hearing and cross-examination begins on January 20. According to the schedule, cross-questioning of both factions will start on January 20 and will continue for four days. For the first two days — January 20 and 21, MLAs and leaders from the Ajit Pawar-led faction will face cross-examination while on January 22 and 23 — the cross-examinations of leaders from the Sharad Pawar-led faction will be completed. The final arguments will be made on January 25 and 27 after which the verdict will be declared.
Following the split both the factions have filed disqualification petitions against each other MLAs. In the first week of October, the Sharad Pawar group approached the Supreme Court seeking directives to the assembly speaker to take action against rebel MLAs for shifting loyalty to Ajit Pawar, who is also Pawar’s nephew and has joined the Shiv Sena-BJP coalition government as deputy chief minister on July 2. The SC clubbed the petitions of Shiv Sena and NCP and on October 13 rapped the Assembly speaker for delay in taking a decision on the petitions filed by both the opposition parties. The apex court has mandated the speaker to complete the hearing of the disqualification case by January 31.
