AMN/ MUMBAI

The Supreme Court today directed the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly Speaker to keep in abeyance the disqualification proceedings initiated against the members of Shivsena amid the ongoing political developments in the state.

The Apex Court directed the Speaker not to decide on the disqualification notices till the court rules on them. Both the rival camps of Shivsena, led by former Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and current Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, have initiated disqualification proceedings against the MLAs belonging to the rival camps.

Appearing for the Uddhav camp, Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal sought for urgent listing of the petitions filed in relation to Maharashtra political crisis. However, the Chief Justice of India N. V. Ramana observed that the matter will require the constitution of a bench and will take some time to be listed.

The development came after the court had not listed the matter today, despite the vacation benches which took up those matters over the last two weeks saying they would be listed. The Chief Justice asked the Solicitor General Tushar Mehta to inform the Assembly Speaker not to decide on the disqualification notices till the Apex Court’s decision.