‘I am not bound by the Election Commission and will decide independently’: Rahul Narwekar

In an interview to The Hindu, the Speaker of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly, Rahul Narwekar talks about the questions before him and says, “I am not bound by the decision of the ECI and I will take the decision independently.”

Two major events in the recent past have defined politics in Maharashtra. On February 17, the Election Commission of India (ECI) allotted the name ‘Shiv Sena’ and the party’s bow and arrow symbol to Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s faction in effect recognising it as the original party founded by Balasaheb Thackeray.

On May 11, the Supreme Court of India said it cannot adjudicate petitions for disqualification by the members of the legislative assembly under the Tenth Schedule (which deals with disqualification on the grounds of defection) of the Constitution of India and said the Speaker shall recognise the Whip and the Leader who are duly authorised by the Shiv Sena political party.

In an interview to The Hindu, the Speaker of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly, Rahul Narwekar talks about the questions before him and says, “I am not bound by the decision of the ECI and I will take the decision independently.”