Maharashtra: Show cause notices issued to 53 of 55 Shiv Sena MLAs, Aaditya Thackeray left out

MUMBAI: In an unprecedented move in the history of the Maharashtra legislature, its principal secretary Rajendra Bhagwat has issued show cause notices to 53 legislators-39 Shiv Sena MLAs of CM Eknath Shinde's group and 14 from Sena president Uddhav Thackeray's camp, reports Prafulla Marpakwar.
The issues raised by the both camps will be heard in the SC on Monday. Each camp has accused the other of defying the whip during the speaker's poll and the trust vote on July 3 and 4 and sought their disqualification. Shiv Sena has 55 MLAs.
Aaditya Thackeray's name does not figure on the list given by the Shinde camp.

53 Sena MLAs told to send in replies in a week
The state legislature's principal secretary Rajendra Bhagwat issued notices to 53 of all 55 Shiv Sena MLAs under the Members of Maharashtra Legislative Assembly (Disqualification on Grounds of Defection) Rules. The MLAs have been directed to reply within seven days.
For the vote of confidence motion on July 4, the Eknath Shinde faction's chief whip Bharat Gogawale had issued a one-line whip to all the Sena legislators, directing them to vote in favor of the motion, while the other faction's chief whip Sunil Prabhu too had directed all the Sena legislators not to vote in favour of the government.
A total of 40 Sena legislators voted in favor of the motion (with one MLA getting added to the rebel camp that day), and 15 voted against it. The same day, Gogawale petitioned speaker Rahul Narwekar, saying that disciplinary action, including disqualification, should be initiated against 14 legislators who did not vote in favour of the motion. Prabhu too submitted a petition, saying the Sena legislators who did not vote against the motion should be disqualified. He named 39 of them.
On the first day of the special session of the legislature, July 3, 39 rebel Sena legislators had voted in favour of BJP nominee for the speaker's post Rahul Narwekar, while 15 Sena legislators voted against him. That day too, Gogawale had petitioned the speaker against 14 Sena legislators, as did Prabhu for the other side.
According to the notice issued by Bhagwat, all 53 legislators have been directed to submit their statements, along with relevant documents, before the speaker within seven days. If there is no response, it will be assumed that the legislator has no submissions to make.
Soon after the revolt broke out in the Sena and the Shinde camp left for Surat, Uddhav Thackeray had appointed Ajay Choudhary in place of Shinde as the leader of the Shiv Sena legislature party. He also appointed Sunil Prabhu as the party's chief whip. Shinde then moved the speaker, following which he was reappointed leader of the Sena legislature party and Bharat Gogawale was appointed as the chief whip.
Meanwhile, all the key issues raised by the rival factions will be heard by the Supreme Court on Monday.