Disqualification pleas: Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Narwekar pronounces verdict

Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar on Wednesday evening pronounced the Shiv Sena MLAs disqualification pleas verdictRahul Narwekar said Cannot accept petitioners Uddhav faction contention that the 2018 party constitution should be relied upon the PTI reportedHe said Shiv Sena constitution provided by Election Commission is real constitution to be called SS ConstitutionUddhav Thackeray groups submission to consider Shiv Sena 2018 constitution cannot be accepted Narvekar said the PTI reportedHe said the Shiv Sena constitution relevant to the extent of identifying leadership structureAccording to the ANI Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar says The 2018 amended constitution of Shiv Sena cannot be considered as valid as its not in the records of the Election Commission of India As per Supreme Court orders I can not delve into any other factor on which the constitution is valid As per records I am relying on the 1999 constitution of Shiv Sena as the valid constitutionHe said The constitution of Shiv Sena provided by ECI is the relevant constitution of Shiv Sena for the determination of which faction is the real political partyRahul Narwekar further said As per the Apex court both the factions have submitted different versions of the constitution party then in that case what has to be taken into account the constitution which was submitted to the ECI with the consent of both parties before the rival factions emergedBefore recording further conclusion it is imperative to reiterate that pursuant to the initiation of this disqualification the Maharashtra Legislative Secretariat had a letter dated June 7 2023 requesting the office of ECI to provide a copy of the party constitutionmemorandumrules the ANI reportedEarlier ahead of the crucial decision on the crosspetitions by Shiv Sena factions seeking disqualification of each others MLAs Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said on Wednesday that Speaker Rahul Narwekar should give his verdict on merit reported the PTITalking to reporters CM Eknath Shinde said that he would give a detailed reaction after the order but maintained that the Election Commission has allowed his outfit to keep the name Shiv Sena and its bow and arrow symbolRahul Narwekar is slated to deliver his muchawaited verdict on the disqualification pleas at 4 pm on January 10 Wednesday Vidhan Bhavan officials have said more than 18 months after the Shiv Sena suffered a vertical split a political development that resulted in a change of guard in the state as per the PTICM Shinde said that his group has 67 per cent of the Shiv Sena lawmakers in the assembly and 75 per cent in Lok SabhaSome people allege matchfixing between Shiv Sena and the speaker There is no substance to those allegations The speaker should give judgment on merit he saidThe Uddhav Thackerayled Shiv Sena UBT has filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court objecting to a recent meeting between Shinde who is among the MLAs whose disqualification has been sought and speaker Narwekar triggering a verbal spat between both sidesWe never objected to opposition MLAs having food in the speakers office said Shinde referring to the criticism of Rahul Narwekar for visiting him on SundayCM Shinde said that the speaker came officially in his official vehicle and broad daylight The CM said the speaker met him over projects in his constituency including the Coastal Roadwith PTI and ANI inputs