Maharashtra Government

A five-judge bench, headed by Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud told senior advocate Neeraj Kishan Kaul, representing the Shinde faction, that the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution attaches a disqualification, "the moment you have a rival faction and it absolutely makes no difference whether you are saying, we are in the same party and we represent the same party...".

"There will be a change very soon... They are only extending the date of their death. Entire Maharashtra is with the Shiv Sena-UBT which is like a giant tree and only the rubbish has gone over to the BSS," Raut said, referring to the spate of defections from his party to the Shinde side in recent weeks.

"We shall study (the bills/laws) in other states and then take an appropriate decision in the matter," Fadnavis told the state legislature." Only after a thorough study, the government would decide on either a new act or amendments to existing laws, and the government will consider whatever is good, assured Fadnavis.

After the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi allies and other parties raised the issue on the first day of the Winter Session, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis spoke in the Legislative Assembly and Council, respectively, to reassert the government's position.

A division bench, headed by Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma, held: "There shall be no stay on the proceedings before the Election Commission of India. Therefore, the Election Commission of India is free to proceed with the adjudication of the dispute pending before it."

Making the announcement at the customary press briefing on the eve of commencement of the Winter session of the Maharashtra legislature, back in the state's second capital city after a span of three years, from Monday, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said this was following the submission of anti- corruption crusader Anna Hazare's demand to make the state corruption free.

However, after Additional Solicitor-General Anil Singh, appearing for the CBI, sought a stay on the order as it plans to move the Supreme Court, the high court said the bail order would be effective after 10 days. A senior Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) Leader, Deshmukh, 74, was nabbed early on November 2, 2021 in alleged corruption and money-laundering cases being probed by the Central Bureau of Investigations and later the Enforcement Directorate.

Addressing him as 'Respected Shri Amitbhai ji' in the two-page letter in Hindi dated December 6, the Governor has drawn attention to his recent speech, and contended that certain small portions from that address were separated to criticise him. Koshyari said he had cited instances of Mahatma Gandhi, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru and Subhash Chandra Bose who were inspiring icons when "we were students", and the modern day students also want to know the current era personalities who could be their 'ideals'.

The probe would cover the measures taken during the two pandemic years -- 2020-2021 and 2021-2022 -- and into the allegations of corruption and irregularities in awarding various contracts without tenders. These included setting up several Covid Care facilities in the city and procurement for the Jumbo field hospitals erected during the pandemic years, according to an official statement from the CMO on Monday.

However, the protection given to NCP President Sharad Pawar, Sena (UBT) President Uddhav Thackeray, NCP MP Supriya Sule, NCP MLA Dr. Jitendra Awhad and certain others has not been touched. Those whose security has been removed include three ex-home ministers - State NCP President Jayant Patil, Chhagan Bhujbal and Anil Deshmukh, currently in jail.