NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court of India on Friday came down heavily on the Maharashtra assembly Speaker for the prolonged delay in reaching a decision on the disqualification plea concerning chief minister Eknath Shinde and several Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs). “Somebody has to advise the Speaker that he cannot defeat the orders of the Supreme Court,” a bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud said and asked Solicitor General Tushar Mehta to apprise the court about the timeline for deciding the issue.
Expressing evident displeasure, the Chief Justice stated that the decision regarding the disqualification petitions should be made before the upcoming assembly elections; otherwise, the entire process would become futile.
The bench warned that if it finds the Speaker’s proposed timeline unsatisfactory, it would issue a directive for the decision to be made within a period of two months. “The writ of this court has to run when there is a decision contrary to the Constitution of India,” the bench said, indicating that it may hear the plea on Monday or Tuesday.
Notably, on September 18, the top court had directed the Maharashtra assembly speaker to spell out the timeline for adjudication of the disqualification petitions against Shinde and other MLAs.
Expressing evident displeasure, the Chief Justice stated that the decision regarding the disqualification petitions should be made before the upcoming assembly elections; otherwise, the entire process would become futile.
The bench warned that if it finds the Speaker’s proposed timeline unsatisfactory, it would issue a directive for the decision to be made within a period of two months. “The writ of this court has to run when there is a decision contrary to the Constitution of India,” the bench said, indicating that it may hear the plea on Monday or Tuesday.
Notably, on September 18, the top court had directed the Maharashtra assembly speaker to spell out the timeline for adjudication of the disqualification petitions against Shinde and other MLAs.