Mumbai | Hours after the Supreme Court on Friday revoked the suspension of 12 opposition MLAs from the Maharashtra Assembly for a year, the ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi government reacted cautiously while members of the Bharatiya Janata Party rejoiced.
Leaders of the ruling Shiv Sena-Nationalist Congress Party-Congress termed the suspension as a decision of the legislature, which has the power to act, while the BJP termed the apex court’s decision as a blow to the MVA government.
Shiv Sena MP and party’s chief spokesperson Sanjay Raut said, Maharashtra Legislature has the power to suspend MLAs or for that matter, Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha can also suspend MPs, it is within their powers.
Senior ministers – NCP state president Jayant Patil and national spokesperson Nawab Malik – said it was now an issue related to the jurisdiction of courts and legislative bodies, legislatures across the country and Parliament.
Malik said, the State Legislature Secretariat will study the order, after which the Speaker will take a decision in the matter.
Congress state unit chief Nana Patole – himself a former president – also said that the Legislature Secretariat will study the Supreme Court order before proceeding with the matter.
Raut said any decision in the matter would be taken by the Speaker of the Assembly, who at that time had given his verdict on the suspension after a scuffle in his chamber.
“I think it is his (the Speaker’s) right. Decisions are taken according to law and the constitution. The suspended MLAs and their party (BJP) need to introspect.
On July 5, 2021, during the monsoon session of the state assembly, 12 BJP MLAs were suspended for allegedly misbehaving and using derogatory language for the then presiding officer Bhaskar Jadhav. The development took place during a discussion on the issue of OBC quota in the House.
The move to suspend a dozen opposition MLAs had created a massive uproar and the party has been repeatedly raising the issue with the MVA to revoke the suspension.
These MLAs include Ashish Shelar, Jaykumar Rawal, Atul Bhatkalkar, Parag Alwani, Girish Mahajan, Yogesh Sagar, Ram Satpute, Sanjay Kute, Abhimanyu Pawar, Shirish Pimple, Narayan Kuche and Kirtikumar Bagdia.
Later BJP’s Chief Whip (Chief Whip) Shelar moved the apex court in this matter.
