SC reserves verdict on batch of cross-petitions of Uddhav Thackeray and Eknath Shinde factions

The Supreme Court on Thursday reserved its verdict on a batch of crosspetitions of Uddhav Thackeray and CM Eknath Shinde factions pertaining to the Maharashtra political crisisA fivejudge Constitution bench headed by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud reserved its verdict after hearing arguments advanced on behalf of both Uddhav and Eknath factions and the office of the governorThe bench comprising Justices MR Shah Krishna Murari Hima Kohli and PS Narasimha concluded the hearing after senior advocates Kapil Sibal AM Singhvi Devadatt Kamat and advocate Amit Anand Tiwari made their submissionsThe top court also heard arguments of senior advocates Neeraj Kishan Kaul Harish Salve Mahesh Jethmalani and advocate Abhikalp Pratap Singh for Maharashtra CM Eknath Shindeled factionSolicitor General Tushar Mehta represented the office of the governor in the matterThe fivejudge constitution bench reserved its verdict after nine days of hearing which had commenced on February 21On February 17 the top court declined to refer a batch of pleas related to the June 2022 Maharashtra political crisis triggered by Shiv Senas division to a sevenjudge bench for reconsideration of the 2016 Nabam Rebia judgementThe 2016 judgement dealt with powers of assembly speaker and ruled that heshe cannot proceed with pleas for disqualification of MLAs if a prior notice seeking the speakers removal is pending before the houseAlso Read Setback to Uddhav Thackeray as Deepak Sawant joins Eknath Shinde campOn June 29 2022 at the height of the Maharashtra political crisis the apex court refused to stay the governors direction to the 31monthold MVA government led by Thackeray to take floor testSensing defeat Thackeray resigned catapulting to power a Shiv SenaBJP dispensation led by ShindeOn August 23 2022 a threejudge bench of the top court headed by then chief justice N V Ramana formulated several questions of law and referred to the fivejudge bench petitions filed by the two Sena factions which raised several constitutional questions related to defection merger and disqualificationIn a blow to the Thackeray bloc the Election Commission last month declared the Shinde faction as the real Shiv Sena and allotted it the bow and arrow symbol of the party founded by Balasaheb ThackerayThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever