Maha political crisis: SC to begin hearing pleas on Feb 14

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday said that it will commence hearing on February 14 on pleas related to the Maharashtra political crisis triggered by the Shiv Sena’s division. A five-judge constitution bench headed by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud was told by senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for the Uddhav Thackeray Shiv Sena, that he will will seek reference of the cases to a seven-judge bench to have a re-look of a 2016 judgment on powers of assembly speakers to deal with disqualification pleas.

“We have filed the submissions on reference of matters to a seven-judge bench constitution bench. They (Chief Minister Eknath Shinde faction of Shiv Sena) have filed the response,” Sibal told the bench which also comprised justices M R Shah, Krishna Murari, Hima Kohli and P S Narasimha.

“We will keep it for hearing on February 14,” the CJI said.

Sibal, while seeking reference of matters to a seven-judge bench, had sought re-look at an earlier apex court judgement.

In 2016, a five-judge constitution bench, while deciding the Nabam Rebia case, had held that the assembly speaker cannot proceed with a plea for disqualification of MLAs if a prior notice seeking removal of the speaker is pending decision in the House.

This decision had come to the rescue of rebel MLAs led by Shinde, now the chief minister of Maharashtra, in the apex court on the ground of pendency of a notice for removal of assembly deputy speaker Narhari Sitaram Zariwal.