'Justice Hurried Is...': Maharashtra Speaker After SC Rap Over Delay In Decision On MLAs' Disqualification

On September 18, the Supreme Court had directed the Speaker to outline a clear timeline for addressing the disqualification petitions against Shinde and other MLAs.

File Photo Of Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar

Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar on Friday expressed his stance on the disqualification pleas against certain Shiv Sena MLAs, stating, "Just like justice delayed is justice denied, justice hurried is justice buried." Narwekar's comments come amid allegations of delay in the decision-making process.

After the Shiv Sena split into the Uddhav Thackeray and Eknath Shinde factions last year, the Thackeray-led group petitioned the Speaker to have several MLAs affiliated with the Chief Minister's camp declared ineligible.

Concerns about the Speaker's delay in responding to the request for the disqualification of Shinde and several other MLAs were expressed by the Supreme Court on Friday. The Speaker must follow the Supreme Court's instructions, a bench led by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud emphasised.

Responding to the criticism, Narwekar, currently in Delhi for the P20 summit, said, "Just like justice delayed is justice denied, justice hurried is justice buried. I don't want to delay proceedings."

"But I don't want to hurry or jump the gun, which may result in a breach of principles of natural justice that could ultimately lead to a miscarriage of justice," he was quoted as saying by news agency PTI. 

He affirmed his commitment to working within the framework of Assembly rules and the Constitution's provisions.

On September 18, the Supreme Court had directed the Speaker to outline a clear timeline for addressing the disqualification petitions against Shinde and other MLAs.

The Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena has consistently accused Narwekar of protracted delays in rendering a decision on the disqualification requests.

Disqualification petitions against 39 MLAs were filed during the Shiv Sena rebellion that toppled the Uddhav Thackeray government in 2022, according to Speaker Rahul Narwekar. Eknath Shinde, the rebel leader, is now Chief Minister and has taken control of the Shiv Sena. He, too, is facing disqualification. The BJP's Narwekar has been accused by the opposition of delaying a decision on the disqualification petitions.