News Analysis India

Tag: Maharashtra Assembly

  • Maratha quota: Special session of Maharashtra Assembly to commence today, Maratha quota likely on agenda

    The Maharashtra government will hold a special Vidhan Sabha session for one day on Tuesday to hold discussion on the Maratha reservation issue.

    Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde stressed on Friday that reservation to Marathas will be given according to the terms of the law after presenting the report in during the special assembly session called for February 20.

    “The survey has been conducted on nearly 2-2.5 crore people… Keeping in mind that the OBC community is not left behind in the process, the government will present the report to the cabinet committee. On February 20, we have called a special session of the assembly, after which the Maratha reservation will be given according to the terms of the law…,” CM Shinde said.The decision to hold the session was taken at the weekly Cabinet meeting presided over by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.

    “The cabinet meeting has given its nod to convene a one-day special session of the legislature on Tuesday, February 20, to discuss the various demands of the Maratha community,” a note issued by the Chief Minister’s office stated.

    The decision to convene a special session was prompted by Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange Patil, who is on a hunger strike at Antarwali Saarati village in Jalna district.After the Maha Vikas Aghadi meeting, Congress president Nana Patole said that the Maharashtra Assembly session would commence on Monday, adding that the meeting was being held to form a strategy for the session. “The Maharashtra Assembly session commences tomorrow. The system is that they should call the opposition for BAC and discuss the proceedings of the House. However, the BJP government in the state does not want to follow the constitutional process. So, we came together to form a strategy for the session,” Patole told ANI.

    Meanwhile, the political scenario of Maharashtra is fluid as Sharad Pawar lost his party name and symbol.

    Veteran politician Sharad Pawar said on Saturday the Election Commission’s decision to recognise the group led by his nephew Ajit Pawar as the ‘real’ Nationalist Congress Party was “not in accordance with law.”

    Sharad Pawar moved the Supreme Court, challenging the decision of the ECI to officially recognise the Ajit Pawar faction as the real NCP and the use of party symbols.

    The Supreme Court on Monday ordered that the interim order by the Election Commission of India (ECI) that allowed veteran leader Sharad Pawar to use ‘Nationalist Congress Party–Sharad Chandra Pawar’ would continue till further orders.

    On February 6, the poll panel, while applying the test of majority in the legislative wing, ruled that Ajit Pawar’s faction was the ‘real’ NCP and permitted the faction to use the ‘clock’ symbol for the party.

    In its order, the Election Commission noted that the total number of NCP MLAs in the Maharashtra State Assembly stood at 81, and out of this, Ajit Pawar submitted affidavits of 57 MLAs in his support, while Sharad Pawar had only 28 affidavits.

    Hence, the poll panel concluded that the Ajit Pawar faction enjoyed the majority support of the legislators and could lay claim to being the NCP. (ANI)

    (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel)

  • Maharashtra passes resolution on border row with Karnataka, to legally pursue inclusion of Marathi-speaking villages

    By PTI

    NAGPUR: The Maharashtra Legislative Council on Tuesday unanimously passed a resolution to “legally pursue” the inclusion of 865 Marathi-speaking villages in Karnataka into the western state and that the Centre should ask the southern state to guarantee the safety of Marathi people living in the border areas.

    The resolution moved by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde in both Houses of the Maharashtra legislature expressed solidarity with the people living in the boundary areas.

    “The state government will legally pursue in the Supreme Court the case to include (in Maharashtra) inch and inch of land of Belgaum, Karwar Bidar, Nipani, Bhalki cities and the 865 Marathi-speaking villages in Karnataka,” the resolution said.

    It said the central government should urge the Karnataka government to implement the decision taken in a meeting with the Union Home Minister (over the border dispute issue).

    The central government should give directives to the Karnataka government to guarantee the safety of the Marathi people in the border areas, it added.

    The Council passed the resolution unanimously in the presence of Deputy Chairperson Dr Neelam Gorhe.

    The border issue dates back to 1957 after the reorganisation of states on linguistic lines.

    The Karnataka Legislative Assembly last Thursday unanimously passed a resolution on the border row with Maharashtra, resolving to protect the southern state’s interests and not to cede an inch of land to its neighbour.

    The resolution had also condemned the border dispute “created” by Maharashtra.

    Maharashtra laid claim to Belagavi, which was part of the erstwhile Bombay Presidency, as it has a sizable Marathi-speaking population.

    It also laid claim to more than 800 Marathi-speaking villages which are currently part of Karnataka.

    Karnataka maintains the demarcation done on linguistic lines as per the States Reorganisation Act and the 1967 Mahajan Commission Report as final.

    ALSO READ | Declare ‘Karnataka-occupied Maharashtra’ as Union Territory: Ex-CM Uddhav

    NAGPUR: The Maharashtra Legislative Council on Tuesday unanimously passed a resolution to “legally pursue” the inclusion of 865 Marathi-speaking villages in Karnataka into the western state and that the Centre should ask the southern state to guarantee the safety of Marathi people living in the border areas.

    The resolution moved by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde in both Houses of the Maharashtra legislature expressed solidarity with the people living in the boundary areas.

    “The state government will legally pursue in the Supreme Court the case to include (in Maharashtra) inch and inch of land of Belgaum, Karwar Bidar, Nipani, Bhalki cities and the 865 Marathi-speaking villages in Karnataka,” the resolution said.

    It said the central government should urge the Karnataka government to implement the decision taken in a meeting with the Union Home Minister (over the border dispute issue).

    The central government should give directives to the Karnataka government to guarantee the safety of the Marathi people in the border areas, it added.

    The Council passed the resolution unanimously in the presence of Deputy Chairperson Dr Neelam Gorhe.

    The border issue dates back to 1957 after the reorganisation of states on linguistic lines.

    The Karnataka Legislative Assembly last Thursday unanimously passed a resolution on the border row with Maharashtra, resolving to protect the southern state’s interests and not to cede an inch of land to its neighbour.

    The resolution had also condemned the border dispute “created” by Maharashtra.

    Maharashtra laid claim to Belagavi, which was part of the erstwhile Bombay Presidency, as it has a sizable Marathi-speaking population.

    It also laid claim to more than 800 Marathi-speaking villages which are currently part of Karnataka.

    Karnataka maintains the demarcation done on linguistic lines as per the States Reorganisation Act and the 1967 Mahajan Commission Report as final.

    ALSO READ | Declare ‘Karnataka-occupied Maharashtra’ as Union Territory: Ex-CM Uddhav

  • NCP MLA arrives with newborn son to attend Maharashtra Assembly’s winter session

    By PTI

    NAGPUR: Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) MLA Saroj Ahire Wagh caught everyone’s attention when she arrived at the Maharashtra legislature carrying her two-and-a-half-month-old son to attend the winter session, which began here on Monday.

    The MLA from Nashik was accompanied by two members of her family and her son Prashansak who was born on September 30.

    Speaking to reporters before entering the Vidhan Bhavan, Ahire Wagh said the winter session is a time to raise concerns of constituencies and people of the state.

    “Apart from being a mother to a baby boy, I am also a public representative and have come to raise concerns of my constituency. My family has come with me and they will look after the baby when I am in the House,” the NCP MLA said.

    A new mother and Nationalist Congress Party MLA Saroj Ahire-Wagh turned heads when she arrived at the #Maharashtra Legislature with her 10-week-old infant son in arms.@SarojAhire113 pic.twitter.com/Dz8im7uKGA
    — IANS (@ians_india) December 19, 2022
    ALSO READ | Kerala woman IAS officer brings child to public function, triggers debate

    NAGPUR: Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) MLA Saroj Ahire Wagh caught everyone’s attention when she arrived at the Maharashtra legislature carrying her two-and-a-half-month-old son to attend the winter session, which began here on Monday.

    The MLA from Nashik was accompanied by two members of her family and her son Prashansak who was born on September 30.

    Speaking to reporters before entering the Vidhan Bhavan, Ahire Wagh said the winter session is a time to raise concerns of constituencies and people of the state.

    “Apart from being a mother to a baby boy, I am also a public representative and have come to raise concerns of my constituency. My family has come with me and they will look after the baby when I am in the House,” the NCP MLA said.

    A new mother and Nationalist Congress Party MLA Saroj Ahire-Wagh turned heads when she arrived at the #Maharashtra Legislature with her 10-week-old infant son in arms.@SarojAhire113 pic.twitter.com/Dz8im7uKGA
    — IANS (@ians_india) December 19, 2022
    ALSO READ | Kerala woman IAS officer brings child to public function, triggers debate

  • Maharashtra Assembly adjourned after Opposition asks government on Nawab Malik’s resignation

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: The Maharashtra Assembly was adjourned for 30 minutes on Wednesday after Leader of Opposition Devendra Fadnavis demanded that the state government make a statement over the BJP’s demand that state minister Nawab Malik should either resign or be removed from the cabinet.

    Senior NCP leader Malik was arrested on February 23 by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a money-laundering probe linked to the activities of fugitive underworld don Dawood Ibrahim and his aides. He was on Monday sent to judicial custody.

    On Wednesday, soon after the Question Hour in the state Assembly ended, BJP leader Fadnavis said the state government should ask the minister to resign or Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray should remove him from the cabinet.

    Fadnavis said the government should make an announcement about it on the floor of the House immediately. Members of the BJP rushed to the well of the House and shouted slogans against the government.

    Deputy Speaker Narhari Zirwal then adjourned the House for 30 minutes. The BJP will stage a demonstration in Mumbai later in the day to demand Malik’s resignation.

  • Maharashtra Assembly adjourned twice as MVA government and BJP blame each other over OBC quota issue

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: The MVA government and opposition BJP on Friday blamed each other in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly for the Supreme Court’s rejection of the interim report of the State Backward Classes Commission, which recommended that 27 per cent quota can be granted to the community in the local body polls in the state.

    Due to slogan-shouting by the members, Deputy Speaker Narhari Zirwal adjourned the House twice – once for 20 minutes and later till the end of the Question Hour.

    As soon as the Lower House assembled for the day, the Other Backward Classes (OBCs) quota issue was raised by Leader of Opposition Devendra Fadnavis through an adjournment notice.

    The former chief minister demanded that the issue be taken up for discussion and the rest of the business be set aside.

    He said there should be no election to local bodies in the state till the political quota of the OBCs is restored.

    Fadnavis termed the interim report of the commission, which was rejected by the apex court, as a mockery.

    “The report has no date about when the data was collected and does not carry any signatures. The state’s lawyers failed to explain on what basis the 27 per cent quota has been recommended,” he said.

    In the coming days, two third local bodies of the state will have to go to polls and if they take place without the OBC quota, the community will not get any representation, he added.

    “What happened in the Supreme Court was shameful for Maharashtra,” Fadnavis said, and demanded that the state enact a law, which will allow it to fix the dates of local bodies elections.

    Maharashtra Food and Civil Supplies Minister and prominent OBC leader, Chhagan Bhujbal, admitted that there could be some technical mistakes in the report since it was compiled expeditiously.

    In 2010, the apex court had asked for compilation of empirical data regarding information of political backwardness of the OBCs.

    The UPA government had started the process of collecting the data which was submitted in 2016, but the Modi government did not share the data with the state, he said.

    “Even Fadnavis, who was state chief minister for five years, did not do anything on that front,” Bhujbal alleged.

    “Neither you nor the Modi government took any further steps further and now you are blaming us,” he said and accused Fadnavis of indulging in politics.

    After Bhujbal’s statement, Zirwal said he was rejecting the adjournment notice and called for the question hour.

    But the BJP legislators started shouting slogans, following which the House was adjourned for 20 minutes.

    But when the proceedings resumed after that, the slogan-shouting continued, due to which it was adjourned for the second time till the end of the question hour.

    The Supreme Court on Thursday said it is “not possible” to permit any authority to act upon the recommendation made in the interim report of the state Backward Classes Commission, which has said that up to 27 per cent reservation can be granted to the OBCs in the local bodies in Maharashtra, subject to the condition that the total quota shall not exceed 50 per cent limit.

    The apex court said the report itself mentions that it has been prepared in the absence of empirical study and research by the commission.

    The top court directed all concerned not to act upon the interim report of the commission.

    On January 19, the top court had directed the state government to submit data on OBCs to the commission to examine its correctness and make recommendations on their representation in elections for the local bodies.

  • BJP chief JP Nadda hails SC order holding Maharashtra MLAs’ suspension ‘unconstitutional’

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: BJP president JP Nadda on Friday welcomed the Supreme Court order that held the Maharashtra Assembly decision to suspend 12 BJP MLAs from the House for one year as “unconstitutional” and “irrational”.

    The court’s verdict to reject this decision, which was in violation of democracy and the constitution, is a victory of truth, Nadda said, adding that the BJP will continue to raise its voice against Maharashtra’s Maha Vikas Aghadi government.

    The BJP will always battle for people’s rights in line with the Indian Constitution and democracy, he said. The apex court delivered its verdict on the pleas filed by the 12 BJP MLAs, who had challenged their one-year suspension from the state assembly for allegedly misbehaving with the presiding officer.

    They were suspended for one year on July 5 last year from the Maharashtra Assembly after the state government had accused them of misbehaving with presiding officer Bhaskar Jadhav in the Speaker’s chamber.

  • SC to hear plea challenging suspension of 12 BJP MLAs from Maharashtra Assembly for one year

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court Monday agreed to list for hearing the plea of 12 BJP MLAs from Maharashtra challenging their one-year suspension from the state Legislative Assembly for allegedly misbehaving with the presiding officer.

    A bench headed by Chief Justice N V Ramana was told by lawyer Siddharth Dharmadhikari that the winter session of the state Assembly is likely to begin and the plea against the suspension of the MLAs needed an urgent hearing.

    “All right, we will give a date (for hearing),” said the bench which also comprised Justices Surya Kant and Hima Kohli.

    The Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi government led by chief minister Uddhav Thackeray is slated to hold the winter session of the state assembly between December 22 and 28 in Mumbai.

    On July 22, the BJP MLAs had filed the plea challenging the resolution passed by the Assembly to suspend these lawmakers for one year.

    They were suspended on July 5 from the Assembly after the state government had accused them of “misbehaving” with presiding officer Bhaskar Jadhav in the Speaker’s chamber.

    The 12 suspended members are- Sanjay Kute, Ashish Shelar, Abhimanyu Pawar, Girish Mahajan, Atul Bhatkhalkar, Parag Alavani, Harish Pimpale, Yogesh Sagar, Jay Kumar Rawat, Narayan Kuche, Ram Satpute and Bunty Bhangdia.

    The motion to suspend these MLAs was moved by state Parliamentary Affairs Minister Anil Parab and passed by a voice vote.

    Leader of Opposition Devendra Fadnavis had termed the allegation as false and said Jadhav’s account of the incident was “one-sided”.

    “This is a false allegation and an attempt to reduce the numbers of opposition benches, because we exposed the government’s falsehood on the OBC quota in local bodies,” Fadnavis had said, adding that BJP members had not abused the presiding officer.

    However, Jadhav had sought a probe into the allegation that some Shiv Sena members and he himself made uncharitable remarks, and said he was ready to face any punishment if it was proven true.

    “Today is a black day for me. Abusive words were directed at me. Some people are saying I made uncharitable remarks. Let there be a probe into it after checking the CCTV footage. If I have used any inappropriate language, I am ready to face any punishment,” Jadhav had said.

  • Maharashtra government package silent on immediate relief to farmers: Ex-CM Devendra Fadnavis

    By PTI

    MUMBAI: Leader of Opposition in the Maharashtra Assembly Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday said the state government has given immediate relief of only Rs 1,500 crore to the flood-affected districts, a day after the state announced a Rs 11,500-crore financial package.

    He also alleged that no immediate relief was announced by the MVA government for priority sections like farmers in the package. The package has made separate financial provisions for rain and flood-affected people besides for repair works and reconstruction of roads and other critical infrastructure damaged in the deluge last month.

    “A provision of Rs 10,000 crore, including the reconstruction provision of Rs 3,000 crore and Rs 7,000 crore for other schemes (in the package), is made for long-term measures. The actual immediate relief is only Rs 1,500 crore,” Fadnavis said in a statement.

    The senior BJP leader also claimed a release issued by the government on Tuesday had no mention of the 2019 flood relief aid, including compensation for crop loss, food grains supply, cleanliness grants, aid for house construction etc.

  • 12 BJP MLAs moves SC challenging their suspension from Maharashtra Assembly

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: Twelve BJP MLAs from Maharashtra on Thursday moved the Supreme Court challenging their one-year suspension from the state Legislative Assembly for alleged misbehaviour with the presiding officer.

    On July 5, these 12 MLAs were suspended from the Assembly for one year after the state government had accused them of “misbehaving” with presiding officer Bhaskar Jadhav in the Speaker’s chamber.

    Advocate Abhikalp Pratap Singh said he has filed the petition in the apex court on behalf of these MLAs and they have challenged the resolution passed by the Assembly to suspend these lawmakers for one year.

    The 12 suspended members are- Sanjay Kute, Ashish Shelar, Abhimanyu Pawar, Girish Mahajan, Atul Bhatkhalkar, Parag Alavani, Harish Pimpale, Yogesh Sagar, Jay Kumar Rawat, Narayan Kuche, Ram Satpute and Bunty Bhangdia.

    The motion to suspend these MLAs was moved by state Parliamentary Affairs Minister Anil Parab and passed by a voice vote.

  • Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari prorogues monsoon session of Maharashtra Legislature

    By PTI
    MUMBAI: Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari prorogued the monsoon session of the state Legislature on Tuesday. State Legislative Assembly’s Deputy Speaker Narhari Zirwal read out the order of prorogation of the session, which began here on Monday.

    The winter session of the Legislature will begin from December 7 in Nagpur, Zirwal said.

    During the two-day session, the state Legislature passed two crucial resolutions, seeking removal of the Supreme Court-set 50 per cent cap on caste-based reservations in jobs and education, and asking the Centre to provide the 2011 Census data to the state.

    On Monday, the opening day of the two-day monsoon session witnessed high drama as 12 BJP MLAs were suspended from the Assembly for one year after the state government accused them of “misbehaving” with presiding officer Bhaskar Jadhav in the Speaker’s chamber.

    Leader of Opposition Devendra Fadnavis had termed the allegation as false and said Jadhav’s account of the incident was “one-sided”. On Tuesday, legislators of the opposition BJP held a ‘parallel session’ outside the House in the Legislature premises as a mark of protest against the suspension of its 12 MLAs.