Sena Vs Sena: Set a timeline for hearing, SC to Maha Speaker

The Supreme Court on Monday asked the Speaker of the Maharashtra Assembly to set a timeline for the hearing of the disqualification petitions against 56 MLAs including Chief Minister Eknath Shinde within a week. Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud gave stern directions to the Speaker, Rahul Narwekar, and said the top court had been asking him to decide on the matter for four months.A bench led by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud told Solicitor General Tushar Mehta - appearing for Narwekar - "Mr SG, he has to decide. He can't do this (keep delaying the decision). What did the Speaker do after the May 11 judgement by (this) court?
The court also sought a proposed timeline of the hearing from  Narwekar and reminded him the office of the Speaker of the Maharashtra Assembly had to follow the dignity of the Supreme Court.The court then listed the matter for its hearing in two weeks' time. The Supreme Court's strong comments today came as it heard a petition by the Uddhav Thackeray faction urging it to direct  Narwekar to take an early decision on the petitions. A total of 34 - filed by both sides - seeking disqualification of 56 MLAs, including Chief Minister Shinde, are pending.Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for the petitioner, told the court today's petition had been filed after alleged prolonged inaction from the Speaker following the May 11 order. Sibal said the September 14 hearing of the disqualification petitions was only after the court listed his petition.Sunil Prabhu's petition had alleged that Speaker Rahul Narwekar was deliberately delaying the adjudication despite the verdict of the Supreme Court in May.