Absolutely no freedom in regional parties, many run by single family: SC on Maharashtra row

Constitution Bench, headed by Chief Justice of India, reserves judgment on Maharashtra political row

The Supreme Court on Thursday addressed former Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on how there is an “absolute” lack of freedom within regional political parties, which are mostly run by single families.

“There is absolutely no freedom in regional parties, except for one leader. Many a times, it is a family which runs it and there is no scope of anybody else coming into the frame. There is no alternative… it is impossible,” Justice P.S. Narasimha, one of the five judges on the Constitution Bench headed by Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud, orally observed.

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The remark came during the final day of the hearing of the political dispute between Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Mr. Thackeray on the control of the Shiv Sena party and the circumstances that led to the fall of the Maha Vikas Aghadi government in the State in 2022.

The Bench reserved the case for judgment.

Justice Narasimha’s observation came when senior advocate Kapil Sibal, for Mr. Thackeray’s side, said constitutional law found it “suspect” when legislators, suddenly, as a group, at the same time, one day, decided to resign from a ruling coalition, as was seen in Madhya Pradesh. The Kamal Nath government had fallen when some Congress MLAs resigned and joined rival BJP.

However, in Maharashtra, Mr. Shinde and his supporters had not resigned. “Naturally, they did not resign because they felt they would want to be Ministers in the new government. Resigning would have meant contesting elections, which they may or may not have won,” Mr. Sibal submitted.