Mumbai, Jan 10 (IANS) In a major ruling, Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar on Wednesday declared that the faction led by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde as the "real" Shiv Sena after the vertical split in the party on June 21, 2022.

Accordingly, the prospect of disqualification over all the 16 MLAs, including Shinde, was rendered infructuous, rejecting the contention of the Shiv Sena-UBT.

The Speaker also held that the then Chief Whip Sunil Prabhu ceased to reflect the will of the party to continue in the post, as the new Chief Whip Bharat Gogawale was the validly elected Chief Whip after the rival faction emerged.

The Speaker's much-awaited verdict came as a huge relief to Chief Minister Shinde and a major blow to the Shiv Sena-UBT, led by ex-CM Uddhav Thackeray, who had contested the claims of the breakaway group.

The Speaker has rejected several other claims and contentions made in the SS-UBT plea, challenging the Shinde faction, even as huge celebrations were started by the ruling Shiv Sena activists in Mumbai and other parts of the state.

Mumbai, Jan 9 (IANS) Maharashtra awaits with bated breath for the much-anticipated verdict in the disqualification case of Shiv Sena MLAs, including Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.

The "make or break" ruling, is expected to be delivered by Speaker Rahul Narwekar amid a cloud over his Sunday lunch meeting with Shinde that has attracted howls protests from the Maha Vikas Aghadi allies Congress-Shiv Sena-UBT-Nationalist Congress Party-SP).

Narwekar, who came under fire on multiple occasions for the alleged delays in delivering the verdict, is likely to finally pronounce it around 4 pm on Wednesday, the extended deadline given by the Supreme Court.

Despite showing a brave face, many in the ruling Shinde-led Shiv Sena are apprehensive over the outcome, while the ex-CM Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena-UBT is already planning its next move in case the verdict goes against it.

The Speaker completed the hearings in the 34 petitions two weeks ago, filed by the Shinde and Thackeray factions, along with voluminous supporting material running into over 2.50 lakh documents.

In the hearings, the Speaker categorised and examined the pleas on various parameters like anti-party activities, defection, election of Speaker, violation of Whips, etc. to arrive at his final conclusion on disqualification.

Anticipating the worst, SS-UBT leader Anil Parab said on Tuesday that if the ruling goes against them, then his party would challenge the verdict in the Supreme Court and expressed hopes that the Speaker would not act like a party functionary.

However, ruling Shiv Sena MP Dr. Shrikant E. Shinde said that the outcome would be as per the proceedings before the Speaker and will favour truth, while other leaders indicated that they expect the verdict in their favour, and the government would not be disturbed.

The case arose after the MVA ally Shiv Sena split vertically in June 2022 and led to the collapse of the Thackeray-led government, and Shinde was anointed the new CM.

Following that political earthquake, both the Sena factions filed cross-petitions seeking action against each other’s MLAs under the anti-defection laws, violating the Whips, etc.

Meanwhile, the Election Commission had recognised the Shinde group and allotted it the name of Shiv Sena and the bow and arrow poll symbol, while the Thackeray-led faction was given the name Shiv Sena-Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray and given the flaming torch election symbol.

In May, the Supreme Court had directed the Speaker to pronounce his decision on the real Shiv Sena and then asked him to give his ruling on the disqualification petitions by December 31.

Days before that deadline, on December 20, the SC granted an extension of 10 days till January 10 to give the verdict – which could have major political ramifications in the state, both immediate and in the upcoming Lok Sabha and Assembly elections this year.

Later, the case of the NCP – which has also split vertically in July 2023 – is expected to be taken up with the verdict likely by January 31, with its own separate political consequences.

Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde Eknath Shinde Addressing 77th Independence Day

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], August 14: India will be celebrating its 77th Independence Day on 15th August 2023, marking 76 years of freedom. The theme for this year’s celebration is “Nation First, Always First” as becoming the fifth-largest economy in the world. Many sectors have played a pivotal role in making India a powerful country. The rapid pace of urbanization has been a key driver of India’s economic growth over the past few decades, with urban centers such as Bengaluru, Mumbai, NCR, Pune, and Hyderabad. 

As we have seen this infrastructural growth, we have also seen hazardous incidents taking too many lives. Fire Incidents are one of them. Maharashtra, which contributes the highest to the country’s GDP, also sees the highest number of accidental fires. With 9,344 incidents in the last five years, Maharashtra has topped the list. Although, with the joint efforts of the State Government, Municipal Corporations, and Fire Department the numbers have declined. Maharashtra is working towards policies that can prevent and protect the citizens from Fire Incidents. 

Stating the state safety norms Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde Said, “Maharashtra state has already begun its journey to becoming a leader of the country. As we are celebrating the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, I would like to take this opportunity to applaud Maharashtra Fire Department, and Energy Department, along with the Municipal Corporation of Mumbai and Maharashtra, for all the initiatives they have taken to ensure the safety of our citizens. Maharashtra is rising vertically high, and to ensure the safety of Citizens & Fire Fighters, the state government has taken a visionary step by incorporating a Fire Evacuation Lift for buildings 70 meters and above. They have our full support for the development of Maharashtra and its citizens. Also, it is remarkable how Municipal Corporations are making it stricter for safer living. This is a great solution for our heroes; firefighters to reach higher floors with almost zero fatigue to fight fire & rescues people. The state government has also ensured that a circular has been sent to all the lift manufacturers to adhere to the specifications of the Energy Department. It is time for the Nation to have Independence from Fire Emergencies.”

Additional Municipal Commissioner Ashwini Bhide said, “The Mumbai Fire Brigade of Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation stands as a beacon of firefighting. In a metropolis like Mumbai, which is marked by towering structures and skyscrapers, evacuation holds paramount importance during fires. To enhance safety in tall buildings, the Maharashtra Energy Department mandates fire evacuation lifts for structures over 70 meters. This aids swift evacuation during fires, especially for vulnerable groups. Fireman evacuation lifts are also required for firefighting ease. The launch of the AgniRakshak training two years back, a civic awareness initiative by MFB, and the implementation of fire evacuation lifts in tall buildings underscore Mumbai’s commitment to safety. This Independence Day, let’s collectively pledge to prioritize fire safety, embracing evacuation protocols as a cornerstone of our city’s resilience. With unity and awareness, we can ensure a secure and thriving Mumbai for all.”

Along with the CM, fire department officials have shared a message for the citizens of Maharashtra.

R N Ambulgekar, Chief Fire Officer of Mumbai, said, “Throughout the year, we firefighters do our best to ensure the safety of our citizens. It’s the hardship of my fellow members that we have been able to save millions of lives during fire emergencies. I would like to salute all the firefighters who work 24×7 like a superhero. I request all citizens adhere to fire safety and evacuation norms for safer living.”

Girish Zalke, Chief fire Officer of Thane, has wished Happy 76th Independence Day Anniversary to all. He added, On this prestigious occasion, All citizens living in high-rise buildings are advised that the fire prevention measures installed in the building should be ascertained. The stairs in the building should be kept in order. Information about refuge areas should be taken care of, and maintenance of electrical appliances in your home should be done properly.”

Devendra Potphode, Chief Fire Officer of Pune said, In Maharashtra State aims to address fire-related emergencies through efficient evacuation strategies, advanced firefighting equipment, and comprehensive training programs. The initiative focuses on creating a robust framework that integrates early warning systems, well-defined unobstructed evacuation routes, a sufficient number of staircases, and collaboration among relevant authorities to ensure the safety of citizens during fire incidents. Maharashtra aims to set an example for the nation in effectively managing and mitigating fire emergencies.”

Dr. Vikram Mehta, an Industry Expert said, “Maharashtra State government has done a tremendous work in Fire Safety and Evacuation. The introduction of new technologies and fully efficient equipment has made fire rescue operations safer. In July 2022, the state government introduced Fire Evacuation Lift to save lives and assets and for firefighters to reach higher floors faster. I urge the people of Maharashtra to follow the norms for safer living. The government is making strict rules for the safety of its citizens, and it is our job to follow them and respect those decisions.” 

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Mumbai, July 6 (IANS) The ruling ally Shiv Sena has rubbished claims by Shiv Sena (UBT) leaders and asserted that Chief Minister Eknath Shinde will remain in his post till the next elections, here on Thursday.

The Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut said that with the entry of the breakaway Nationalist Congress Party into the Shiv Sena-Bharatiya Janata Party government, Shinde has 'outlived his utility' and the state will get a new CM soon.

Simultaneously, another MP Vinayak Raut had claimed that around 10 ruling Shiv Sena MLAs are in touch with the Shiv Sena (UBT), and other leaders have also contended that many of those who had deserted the party in 2022 reportedly want to stage a 'ghar-wapsi'.

"There is absolutely no resentment among our MLAs… We have full faith in the leadership of the CM. His position is not threatened in any manner and these are only rumours that he is quitting," said Industry Minister Uday Samant.

Other Sena leaders also dismissed the Sena (UBT) claims that many MLAs are feeling restless with the entry of the new and second Deputy CM Ajit Pawar and his group in the government and want to leave the Sena.

Elaborating, Samant said that the Shiv Sena will contest the 2024 Lok Sabha and Assembly elections under the leadership of Shinde. To a query, he said: "The CM Shinde, the Deputy CMs Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar are 'experienced and mature' leaders and they will take the alliance ahead."

On the speculation rife about the recent meeting of Shiv Sena MPs and MLAs earlier this week, Samant said that the discussions centres around the upcoming monsoon sessions of Lok Sabha and Maharashtra Legislature, the development works, what the party's elected representatives should do and build up the party organisation.

Political circles have been agog with murmurs about the heatburns among the Shiv Sena MLAs, especially ministerial hopefuls, on their fate and future after Ajit Pawar's zoomed into the government with eight Ministers on July 2, with similar reports emanating from the BJP side.

Mumbai, July 6 (IANS) The Shiv Sena (UBT) has said that with the entry of breakaway Nationalist Congress Party into the Shiv Sena-Bharatiya Janata Party government, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has "outlived his utility," and the state is poised to get a new CM soon, here on Wednesday.

Sena (UBT) MP and Chief Spokesperson Sanjay Raut said that the induction of another around 40 NCP MLAs into the Sena-BJP government that was already enjoying a 170-MLAs majority “is beyond the understanding of the ordinary masses”.

“This was quite expected but for Shinde and his supporters it implies that ‘you are no longer needed’. I repeat - the state will definitely get a new CM very soon,” declared Raut- who had said on Sunday that Shinde’s chair was in danger.

Speaking to mediapersons here, he added, how, tired by the alleged harassment of Ajit Pawar, Chhagan Bhujbal, and others, Shinde had rebelled from the Shiv Sena, toppled the Maha Vikas Aghadi government led by ex-CM Uddhav Thackeray government to join hands with the BJP and grabbed power in June 2022.

“Now, Shinde will have to work in the government with the very same NCP leaders,” said Raut with a smile, referring to the second new Deputy CM Ajit Pawar and eight others of his team who created a political earthquake by splitting from the NCP to join the Shinde-Fadnavis regime as ministers on July 2.

Taking a swipe at the CM, he said that with the induction of Ajit Pawar's group, the Shinde camp has been left high and dry (“na ghar ka, na ghat ka”), and only he (Shinde) is to be blamed for his predicament.

Amid the purported rumblings over the latest political happenings in the ruling alliance, Raut threw the gauntlet at those who had quit the Shiv Sena in 2022 citing the alleged hounding by Ajit Pawar and others: “They should resign immediately”.

New Delhi, July 4 (IANS)  The Uddhav Thackeray faction of the Shiv Sena has moved the apex court against delay by the Maharashtra Assembly Speaker in deciding the disqualification proceedings filed against Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and his camp.

The petition alleged that Speaker Rahul Narwekar is delaying the adjudications of the disqualification plea to permit “the illegal continuance of Eknath Shinde as Chief Minister, against whom the disqualification petitions are pending”.

On May 11, a constitution bench of the Supreme Court had directed that the Maharashtra Assembly Speaker “must decide disqualification petitions in a reasonable time” against 16 Shiv Sena MLAs, including Shinde, who were accused of anti-party activities.

“Despite the categorical directions …..that the pending disqualification petitions must be decided within a reasonable period, (the Speaker) has chosen to not conduct a single hearing pursuant to the judgment of the Hon’ble Court,” stated the latest plea filed by the Shiv Sena-UBT leader Sunil Prabhu.

The petition said that the Speaker, when deciding the disqualification proceedings under the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution, acts as a judicial tribunal and must act fairly without any bias.

“The constitutional requirement of fairness enjoins upon the Speaker the obligation to decide the question of disqualification in an expeditious manner,” it said while referring to a previous judgment of the Supreme Court where it has been held that disqualification petitions should normally be decided within 90 days.

In its recent judgment around the Maharashtra political crisis, the top court had refused to reinstate Uddhav Thackery as the Chief Minister as he had tendered his resignation voluntarily before facing the floor test in the house. The five judges unanimously had held that that then Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari was not justified in calling upon Thackeray to prove his majority, but said that it was justified to invite Eknath Shinde to form the government after the post of the Chief Minister felt vacant as Thackeray tendered resignation on June 29.

Declaring the decision taken by the Speaker to recognise Bharat Gogawale (from Shinde faction) as the Chief Whip of Shiv Sena in place of Prabhu as “contrary to law”, the CJI D.Y. Chandrachud-led constitution bench had held that the political party and not the legislature party appoints the Whip and the Leader of the party in the House.

Mumbai, May 11 (IANS) Soon after the Supreme Court's verdict with its scathing observations, the Shiv Sena (UBT) on Thursday said that Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has lost the moral authority and must immediately quit.

Sena (UBT) Chief Spokesperson Sanjay Raut also welcomed the SC verdict calling it a trendsetter not only for Maharashtra but for the entire country.

"The SC has said that this is a totally illegal and unconstitutional government and all the decisions of the (then) Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari were wrong," said Raut.

On the issue of the SC observations that if the then CM Uddhav Thackeray had not resigned, then he could have been reinstated, Raut said that indicates that the present government is illegal.

About the SC move to let the Speaker (Rahul Narwekar) decide on the disqualification of 16 MLAs, including CM Shinde, Raut said: "Let the matter come before the Speaker. With this judgement, the Speaker cannot take any decision that will be contrary to the Constitution of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar."

Over the SC stamp of approval on Sunil Prabhu as the party Whip, Raut said that this means that the Whip of the Shinde faction (Bharat Gogawale) is also illegal.

"Considering all this, Shinde and his team has lost the ethical ground to continue in office and must tender their resignations forthwith," reiterated Raut.

Thane, April 4 (IANS) In a shocker, a seven-month pregnant woman activist of the Shiv Sena (UBT) was brutally assaulted by some persons in Thane, the hometown of Shiv Sena Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, officials said here

The incident happened late on Monday.

Former CM and Sena (UBT) President Uddhav Thackeray, his wife and son Aditya Thackeray rushed to Thane to enquire after the health of their party worker, Roshani Shinde-Pawar, was admitted to the ICU of a nearby hospital.

The Kasarvadavali Police Station has filed a case and is probing the matter, while Shinde conducted a meeting of officials on the issue that has snowballed into another political fracas between the two breakaway Sena factions.

According to officials, the trigger for the attack on Shinde-Pawar was a social media post made by her on Monday that enraged the rival side activists.

Late Monday night, a group of workers, allegedly belonging to the Shiv Sena, brutally assaulted Shinde-Pawar and scooted from the area.

The grievously injured Shinde-Pawar in an advanced stage of pregnancy was rushed to a local hospital and later shifted to the ICU this morning.

Sena (UBT) senior leader Sushma Andhare condemned the attack, saying that this has been repeatedly happening all over the state and cited the instance of another party worker Girish Kolhe, who also hammered in the CM's home town, and another woman activist beaten up in Kalyan town.

"When we (the Opposition) go to lodge police complaints, we are not entertained, but culprits supporting the ruling alliance are given priority in lodging complaints against us and immediate action is taken," Andhare said.

Local politicians claim that Shinde-Patil's post allegedly taking a potshot at the CM did not go down well with his supporters, resulting in the attack.

New Delhi, March 28 (IANS) The Delhi High Court on Tuesday issued summons to Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray, MP Sanjay Raut and MLA Aditya Thackeray in a defamation case filed by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's aide Rahul Ramesh Shewale.

Shewale had filed the defamation suit against the three for certain statements alleging that the Shinde-led Shiv Sena faction bought the party symbol for Rs 2,000 crore.

While appearing for Shewale, senior advocate Rajiv Nayyar prayed the court to pass an injunction order to restrain them from making any further defamatory claims, Justice Prateek Jalan said that an order will be passed only after having the response of parties.

The court listed the case for next hearing on April 17.

Thane, March 16 (IANS) The Maharashtra government has accepted almost all the demands of farmers, said Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Thursday evening, in what is being perceived as a major victory for the peasants. Following the announcement, the farmers' Nashik-Mumbai "long march" was halted en route at Vashind in Thane.

Shinde said, "We had very fruitful negotiations on all issues and most have been resolved. I shall make a statement in the legislature tomorrow morning," after emerging from a marathon meeting with over a dozen leaders of the All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS).

Vinod Nikole, a CPI-M MLA, confirmed the developments from the AIKS side and said that most issues pertaining to the jurisdiction of the state have been sorted out while those in the Centre's ambit have yet to be resolved. "Accordingly, we have decided to halt the 'long march' at Vashind. The agitation is not called off till the government issues the relevant orders right up to the district level to implement our demands within the next two days," Nikole told media persons.

The Supreme Court has reserved its verdict on a batch of cross-petitions filed by Uddhav Thackeray and Eknath Shinde groups in connection with the Maharashtra political crisis. The court heard submissions for nine days before reserving the judgment. A five-judge constitution bench, headed by Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud, posed several questions to senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, representing the Thackeray group.

The Chief Justice questioned Singhvi on whether there was a valid exercise of power by the Governor to call for a trust vote and what happens if the court concludes that there was no valid exercise of power by the Governor. When Singhvi stated that Thackeray's resignation and not facing the trust vote is irrelevant, the Chief Justice asked how the court could reinstate a Chief Minister who did not even face a floor test.

The hearing commenced on February 21, and senior advocates Kapil Sibal, Singhvi, Devadatt Kamat, and advocate Amit Anand Tiwari made their submissions. The Shiv Sena-BJP alliance led by Shinde came to power in Maharashtra after Thackeray resigned, sensing defeat. On June 29, 2022, the apex court refused to stay the Governor's direction to take a floor test.

The Election Commission has informed the Supreme Court that it had passed a "well-reasoned" order, in a quasi-judicial capacity, to allot the name and party symbol of the Shiv Sena to the Eknath Shinde faction.

The EC filed a counter-affidavit, stating that the order had already been passed under Paragraph 15 of the Symbols Order, and thus, had no contentions to make on the case's merits. It added that the commission had become a functus officio, and the courts had held that the quasi-judicial body need not be arrayed as a party to the appeal in a catena of cases.

On February 22, the Supreme Court refused to stay the Election Commission decision recognizing the Eknath Shinde faction as the official Shiv Sena and granted it the party name and symbol.

However, Uddhav Thackeray challenged the decision, leading to the present proceedings.