Disqualification pleas against MLAs: 'Justice hurried is justice buried', says Maharashtra Speaker on allegations of delay

The Shiv Sena split into the Uddhav Thackeray and Eknath Shinde factions last year, after which the former filed petitions with the Speaker seeking the disqualification of several MLAs belonging to the chief minister's camp.

Mumbai: Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar on Friday said he did not want to delay the decision on the disqualification pleas against some Shiv Sena MLAs but asserted "just like justice delayed is justice denied, justice hurried is justice buried."

The Shiv Sena split into the Uddhav Thackeray and Eknath Shinde factions last year, after which the former filed petitions with the Speaker seeking disqualification of several MLAs belonging to the chief minister's camp.

The Supreme Court on Friday came down hard on the Speaker for the delay in deciding the plea for disqualification of Shinde and several MLAs.

"Somebody has to advise the Speaker that he cannot defeat the orders of the Supreme Court," a bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud said.

Speaking to PTI, Narwekar, who is in Delhi for the P20 summit, said, "Just like justice delayed is justice denied, justice hurried is justice buried. I don't want to delay proceedings. But I don't want to hurry or jump the gun, which may result in breach of principles of natural justice that could eventually result in miscarriage of justice."

Narwekar asserted he is working as per Assembly rules pertaining to disqualification as well as provisions of the Constitution.

On September 18, the top court had directed the Speaker to spell out the timeline for adjudication of the disqualification petitions against Shinde and other MLAs.

The Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) has been consistently claiming Narwekar was delaying in arriving at a decision on the disqualification pleas.