Will not be influenced by opposition remarks over disqualification petitions, says Rahul Narwekar

Maharashtra assembly speaker Rahul Narwekar asserted he will take decisions regarding disqualification petitions pending before him as per the law and constitutional provisions, and will not be influenced by remarks made against him over the issue.

The Shiv Sena, which divided after an uprising last year, has received disqualification applications from competing sections, according to Narwekar's office. Ajit Pawar, the deputy chief minister of Maharashtra, and party MLAs who support him have been targeted by the Sharad Pawar-led wing of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), which has filed disqualification petitions with the speaker's office.

Asked whether he is being pressurized with remarks by the opposition, the speaker said there may be an effort to exert pressure on him in giving judgments on disqualification petitions, but clarified such comments do not affect him. Whatever decisions I take, they will be as per the law and as per provisions of the Constitution. Such statements do not put any pressure on me as the speaker of the legislative assembly. I do not attach any importance to such pressure tactics, Narwekar told reporters in Pune.

Asked about delay in deciding on disqualification of MLAs, the speaker said he needs adequate time for adjudication on the pleas. We have to decide on various contentious issues. Need to see which is the original political party? Who was the person authorized to issue a whip? If we deliver a decision without giving an opportunity to all those concerned and without following the principles of natural justice, it would be arbitrary, he said.

Asked about some petitioners approaching the Supreme Court, Narwekar said anyone can go to the SC and file a petition. It does not mean whatever a petitioner is stating in the petition is true. This is a process, and we should allow the court to do its work. We should allow the speaker to function, and this is called parliamentary democracy, he maintained.