Shiv Sena Minister Shambhuraj Desai and Nationalist Congress Party's Makarand Patil had alleged that local police personnel manhandled them during the poll held on March 20 to elect the Satara ZP president
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. File Pic
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said that Satara Superintendent of Police Tushar Doshi has been sent on leave to ensure a fair and impartial probe into allegations of police misconduct during the Zilla Parishad presidential election.
According to PTI, Shiv Sena Minister Shambhuraj Desai and Nationalist Congress Party's Makarand Patil had alleged that local police personnel manhandled them during the poll held on March 20 to elect the Satara ZP president.
Maharashtra Legislative Council Deputy Chairperson Neelam Gorhe had last week asked the state government to suspend Doshi.
“The Satara SP has been sent on leave. The decision was taken to ensure a free and fair investigation,” Fadnavis told PTI on Monday.
According to sources, Doshi is currently on earned leave and will remain so until April 6.
Poll outcome and political context
During the March 20 election, the Bharatiya Janata Party’s Priya Shinde was elected Satara ZP president, defeating the Shiv Sena–NCP combine’s candidate despite the alliance having a majority in the rural local body. The BJP narrowly surpassed the Sena-NCP alliance’s tally to secure the top post.
The Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and Sunetra Pawar-led NCP are allies of the BJP in the state’s Mahayuti government.
Institutional stand-off
After Gorhe directed the government to suspend Doshi, Fadnavis had said that the powers of the executive, judiciary, and legislature are clearly defined under the Constitution.
“The executive holds administrative powers and is accountable to the legislature. The government makes efforts to implement the directions given by the Chair,” he said, the news agency reported.
Legal opinion to be taken on action against SP, says Maharashtra Council Chairman Ram Shinde
Meanwhile, last week, Maharashtra Legislative Council Chairman Ram Shinde stated that his deputy Neelam Gorhe’s order to suspend the Satara Superintendent of Police (SP) will be referred to legal experts, and a decision will be issued afterwards, reported PTI.
Ram Shinde made the remarks in the Upper House on Wednesday, effectively putting on hold the suspension of Indian Police Service (IPS) officer Tushar Doshi and other officials over an alleged ruckus during the Satara Zilla Parishad (ZP) elections.
The action was taken after political leaders raised the issue in the Council.
Following this, the Council Deputy Chairperson Gorhe had on Monday directed the state government to suspend Satara Superintendent of Police Doshi. This move did not go down well with the BJP, which heads the ruling coalition.
(With PTI inputs)
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