HC order on UBT plea reserved, but governor clears Mahayuti govt's 7 MLC picks

MUMBAI: Even though Bombay HC has reserved its order on a plea filed by Shiv Sena (UBT) functionary Sunil Modi challenging the withdrawal of a list of 12 MLC nominees sent for governor's approval in 2020, Mahayuti govt Monday sent 7 names to governor CP Radhakrishnan . Officials said the names were approved and the 7 nominees from Shiv Sena, NCP and BJP are likely to take oath early Tuesday. MLC nomination and oath taking is set to be a race against time as EC code of conduct is expected to be announced anytime. Pankaj Bhujbal and Idris Naikwadi have been nominated from NCP, Manisha Kayande and ex-MP Hemant Patil from Sena and Chitra Wagh, Vikrant Patil and Babusingh Maharaj.

Last week, HC had concluded the hearing and reserved its judgement on a PIL challenging then governor B S Koshyari's Sept 2022 decision to withdraw the 12 MLC nominations recommended by MVA govt. A division bench of Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Amit Borkar was hearing a PIL.

Sena (UBT) MLC Anil Parab said nomination of MLCs was illegal and it will be challenged in HC. "During the last hearing, govt had assured court that there is more move to send the names to the governor. The court had taken this assurance. So if any names have been sent in a hurry, it is an illegal move and violation of the assurance. We will move HC Tuesday and seek a stay on this," Parab said.

HC posted an Oct 23 hearing on PILs challenging the pleas which challenged constitutional validity of Article 171 (3)(e) of Constitution as it being ultra vires of Article 14 of the Constitution.