NCP split: Maharashtra Council chairperson holds first hearing on disqualifications pleas

Sharad Pawar and Ajit Pawar. File Pic

Newly-appointed Maharashtra Legislative Council chairperson Ram Shinde on Thursday held his first hearing on disqualification petitions filed against several MLCs who switched to the NCP led by Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar when the Sharad Pawar-founded party split in July 2023.

Shinde gave these MLCs two months to respond.

Incidentally, the position of Legislative Council chairperson was vacant since July 2022 after incumbent Ramraje Naik Nimbalkar retired following the end of his tenure. Shinde was appointed in his place in December 2024.

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Between July 2022 and December 2024, deputy chairperson Neelam Gorhe was overseeing the daily functioning of the Council.

Due to this, the hearing on disqualification petitions filed against Gorhe, Viplav Bajoria and Maneesha Kayande, who switched over to the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena after the Bal Thackeray-led party split in June 2022,were pending.

Speaking to PTI, Shinde said, "I have instructed the office to issue notices to Gorhe, Kayande and Bajoria asking them to submit their responses within seven days.

They will receive the notices shortly. Lawyers representing the NCP council members requested four months to submit their replies, but I have decided to allow two months."

The initial hearings against the NCP members were held earlier (by Gorhe) and the process was being continued by him, Shinde added.

In December 2023, Gorhe had issued notices to eight NCP MLCs from both factions asking them to submit their responses to the disqualification pleas. The notices, issued on December 7, 2023, were directed at Satish Chavan, Aniket Tatkare, Vikram Kale, Amol Mitkari, Ramraje Naik Nimbalkar (from the Ajit Pawar faction), as well as Eknath Khadse, Shashikant Shinde, and Arun Lad (from Sharad Pawar camp).

These notices, issued under Maharashtra Legislative Council (Disqualification on Grounds of Defection) Rules 1986, instructed the members to submit their defence documents to the Deputy Chairperson within seven days of receiving the notice.

Ajit Pawar and eight NCP MLAs had joined the Eknath Shinde government on July 2, 2023.

Following the split in the NCP, the Sharad Pawar faction filed disqualification petitions against five MLCs who defected to Ajit Pawar's camp, while the deputy CM's faction sought disqualification of three MLCs from the Sharad Pawar faction.

Meanwhile, Kayande said, "When I was a member of the council previously, I never received any notice. My term ended, and I was later reappointed as a member under Shiv Sena faction led by Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. Even if I receive a notice now, I will submit my response."

Vidhan Bhavan sources said the terms of Kayande and Bajoria had ended when they switched allegiance from Uddhav Thackeray's faction to the one led by Shinde.

As such, there is little point in pursuing disqualification petitions against them, they added.

These sources further clarified that Kayande's recent appointment as MLC, following the Supreme Court's ruling and the Speaker's decision regarding the real Shiv Sena, was valid, which had made old disqualification petitions irrelevant.

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