In the case that will decide the course of politics in Maharashtra, the Supreme Court on Wednesday posted a hearing on August 1, and asked the petitioners from the Uddhav Thackeray faction of the Shiv Sena and the Eknath Shinde group and other respondents to file their say by July 27.

The five petitions are about the demand for disqualifying MLAs from both groups, the challenge to the formation of the Shinde-BJP government, its floor test and the governor’s role. The development was interpreted as status quo on the disqualification proceedings and the need to examine the complex issue by a larger bench, a constitutional one if need be. The three-member bench presided by Chief Justice N V Ramana heard all the arguments and said, “After hearing the counsels it has been agreed that some issues may if necessary be referred to a larger bench also. Keeping in mind the same, to enable the parties to frame the issues, let them file the same preferably by next Wednesday.”