Supreme Court grants interim relief to rebel Shiv Sena MLAs

Shiv Sena rebel MLAs, who had been asked by Maharashtra Deputy Speaker Narhari Zirwal to reply by Monday evening to notices on pleas seeking their disqualification from the Assembly, got interim relief when the Supreme Court said they had time until 5.30 pm on July 12 to send their replies.

The vacation bench of Justices Surya Kant and Justice J B Pardiwala which issued notice on two petitions — one by Sena rebel leader Eknath Shinde and another by 15 MLAs of his faction who had been served disqualification notices — fixed July 11 as the next date of hearing.

“In the meanwhile,



as an interim measure, the time granted by Deputy Speaker to petitioners or other similarly placed MLAs to submit their written submissions today by 5.30 pm be extended till July 12, 2022, 5.30 pm,” the bench directed.

Taking note of the rebel MLAs’ submission that their life and property were under threat, the bench recorded the statement of the Maharashtra standing counsel that “adequate steps have already been taken and the state government shall further ensure that no harm is caused to the life, liberty and property of the 39 MLAs or their family members”.