Ajit Pawar faction moves Bombay High Court against Maharashtra Speaker's decision

Anil Patil, the Chief whip of Ajit Pawar faction faction of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), has approached the Bombay High Court challenging the Maharashtra speaker's dismissal of disqualification petitions filed against ten MLAs belonging to the Sharad Pawar faction..Speaker Rahul Narwekar had on February 15 dismissed the disqualification petitions filed by both factions of the NCP. Narwekar referred to the legislative majority principle and observed that Ajit Pawar faction enjoyed majority support of MLAs in the legislative assembly and can be considered the real NCP.Hence, it rejected the petition by Sharad Pawar faction to disqualify Ajit Pawar faction MLAs. However, it had also dismissed the plea filed by Ajit Pawar faction leading to the present appeal..In the petition filed through advocate Shrirang Varma, Patil has claimed that since the speaker had declared Ajit Pawar faction to be real political party, the MLAs from the other faction were required to be disqualified for their conduct. Patil also pointed out that the speaker had not rightfully considered the submissions made by the Ajit Pawar in furtherance of their petitions seeking disqualification..A division bench of Justices GS Kulkarni and Firdosh Pooniwalla will hear the petition on February 21..The speaker's verdict came in the petitions filed after the rebellion of Ajit Pawar group and a split in the party in July 2023.Sharad Pawar group first filed disqualification petitions against nine MLAs of the Ajit faction who were sworn in as ministers in ruling Eknath Shinde government before proceeded to file petitions against the remaining 31 MLAs of the junior pawar faction.Ajit Pawar group filed cross petitions against the 10 MLAs of Sharad Pawar group..Meanwhile, the Election Commission had also ruled on February 6 that Ajit Pawar's faction was the real NCP and permitted the faction to use the 'clock' symbol for the party.The poll body too had applied test of majority in the legislative wing to arrive at its decision.The poll body had in its order noted that the total number of NCP MLAs in Maharashtra State assembly stood at 81.Out of this, Ajit Pawar had submitted affidavits of 57 MLAs in his support while Sharad Pawar had only 28 affidavits.In view of this, the commission concluded that the group led by Ajit Pawar enjoyed majority support of the legislators and can lay claim to being NCP..A challenge against the same by Sharad Pawar is pending before the Supreme Court.