Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray (centre) and party leaders Sanjay Raut (left) and Arvind Sawant arrive to address a press conference. Photo: PTI
SC agrees to hear Shiv Sena (UBT) plea on MPs' merger with Shinde Sena
Ahead of the Monsoon session, Speaker Om Birla on July 18 approved the merger of six Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs with the Shiv Sena led by Shinde faction
New Delhi, Jul 22 (PTI) The Supreme Court on Wednesday agreed to hear a plea filed by the Shiv Sena (UBT) challenging Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla's approval to the merger of its six MPs with the Shiv Sena led by Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.
A bench of Justices P S Narasimha and Alok Aradhe issued notice on the plea and sought responses from the office of the Lok Sabha Speaker and other respondents.
"Issue notice," the bench said and posted the matter for hearing after two weeks.
Ahead of the Monsoon session, the Speaker on July 18 approved the merger of six Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs with the Shiv Sena led by Shinde.
Official sources had said that with the merger of the six MPs, the strength of the Shiv Sena has gone up to 13.
A total of nine MPs had got elected on Shiv Sena (UBT) tickets, of which six have joined the Shiv Sena headed by Shinde.
The Shiv Sena (UBT) had argued before the Speaker that their rebel MPs should be disqualified as the defections fall under the anti-defection law. PTI