Mumbai: Shiv Sena UBT Files Petition In Bombay HC Challenging Appointment Of 7 Governor-Nominated MLCs

Mumbai: Shiv Sena (UBT) filed a petition in the Bombay High Court on Tuesday challenging the appointment of seven Governor-nominated Members of the Legislative Council (MLCs). The case has been listed for an urgent hearing today.

Meanwhile, the swearing-in ceremony for these seven MLCs is scheduled to take place at noon on Tuesday in Vidhan Bhavan, with the oath being administered by Neelam Gorhe, Deputy Chairperson of the Maharashtra Legislative Council.

What Is The Issue Here?

The issue stems from the long-pending case regarding the 12 vacant MLC posts, which are filled by Governor appointments. Shiv Sena (UBT) Kolhapur chief Sunil Modi had earlier filed a petition on this matter and the High Court has completed hearings, reserving its order. Despite the unresolved case, the state government has recommended seven names for the appointments, and the oath-taking ceremony will proceed today.

This development coincides with political discussions in the Maharashtra BJP core group, which held a meeting on Monday to strategise for the upcoming Assembly elections. The three-hour meeting, led by BJP National President JP Nadda at the party's headquarters, focused on seat-sharing arrangements, particularly for sitting MLAs.

Meeting Attended By Several Key Party Leaders

Prominent BJP leaders, including Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, State President Chandrashekhar Bawankule, and other key state leaders such as Chandrakant Patil, Raosaheb Danve and Pankaja Munde, were present. Additionally, key figures from the central leadership, including Home Minister Amit Shah, Ashwini Vaishnav, Bhupender Yadav, Piyush Goyal and Organisational General Secretary BL Santosh, participated in the discussions.

Poll Dates To Be Announced Today

Maharashtra’s 288-seat Assembly will go to the polls later this year, with the Election Commission of India set to announce the election dates on Tuesday. The upcoming elections will witness a showdown between the Maha Vikas Aghadi (comprising Shiv Sena UBT, the NCP’s Sharad Pawar faction and Congress) and the Mahayuti Alliance (BJP, the Eknath Shinde faction of Shiv Sena and the Ajit Pawar faction of the NCP).