Legislature or Governor to take decision on Minister Manikrao Kokate after court order: Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis
The Hindu
Maharashtra CM Fadnavis to decide fate of Agriculture Minister Kokate after court's order on cheating case.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday (March 3, 2025) said a decision on State Agriculture Minister Manikrao Kokate, convicted in a cheating case, will be taken by the legislature or the Governor after the court's order on the matter.
Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) MLA Kokate was last month convicted by a Magistrate’s court in Nashik in the cheating case and sentenced to two years in jail. A sessions court there later suspended his sentence, and will give its decision on March 5, 2025 on Mr. Kokate’s plea seeking a stay on the Magistrate's order.
Leader of Opposition in the State legislative council Ambadas Danve raised the matter in the House on Monday (March 3, 2025), seeking to know what was the government's stand on it.
"The Agriculture Minister [Mr. Kokate] has been convicted and there has been no stay on the verdict by the higher court so far," he said. The Shiv Sena (UBT) leader was alluding to Mr. Kokate's possible disqualification as member of the Assembly which could lead to his resignation.
Council chairman Ram Shinde said Mr. Kokate is a member of the Lower House and the issue should be raised there. To this, the Opposition members in a loud voice said a Minister belongs to both the houses.
Mr. Fadnavis then said, "The court has completed the hearing and the matter is closed for order. A decision will be taken after (court) order by the house or by the Governor." The CM also said din by the Opposition members was not expected when the motion of condolence to pay homage to former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was being moved in the House.
On the first day of the State legislature's Budget session on Monday (March 3, 2025), both the houses paid homage to Manmohan Singh, who died in December last year. Last month, the court in Nashik convicted Mr. Kokate of cheating and submitting fake documents to get flats under government quota.
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