Deputy CM Ajit Pawar-Led NCP Faction Moves Bombay High Court Against Speaker's Refusal To Disqualify Sharad Pawar-Led NCP's MLAs

Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra Ajit Pawar-led NCP faction on Tuesday filed a plea in the Bombay High Court challenging Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar's decision not to disqualify MLAs belonging to Sharad Pawar's faction of NCP.

The petition was filed through Anil Bhaidas Patil, Relief and Rehabilitation Minister and whip of the Ajit Pawar's faction.

The plea claimed that once Ajit Pawar's-faction was declared as the real NCP, MLAs of the rival faction ought to have been disqualified. The Speaker had not appreciated their submissions, the petitioners alleged.

Before this, however, the Sharad Pawar-led NCP approached the Supreme Court against the Speaker's decision.

Earlier this month, the Speaker had refused to disqualify MLAs from either faction of the NCP and dismissed petitions by either side. While Pawar's faction sought the disqualification of 41 rival MLAs, Ajit Pawar's side sought the disqualification of 10 MLAs of Pawar's faction.

The matter was mentioned before the bench of Justice GS Kulkarni by Senior Advocate Mukul Rohatgi.

The matter will be next heard on Wednesday, February 21.