Maharashtra Speaker to hear pleas on disqualification of Shiv Sena MPs on October 13

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], September 25 (ANI): Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar on Monday decided to hold the next hearing of the petitions on the disqualification of Shiv Sena (Eknath Shinde faction) MPs on October 13.
A hearing was held in front of the Speaker of the Assembly on Monday, as per the instructions of the Supreme Court. Both the Shiv Sena parties presented their arguments on the violations that took place by the 'rebel' Shiv Sena MLAs during the unseating of the Maha Vikas Aghadi government last year.
A petition was moved by Shiv Sena (Uddhav Thackeray faction) to club all the petitions and conduct one hearing, to which Shiv Sena lawyers (Eknath Shinde camp) objected. The latter said that they want the petitions to be heard individually and evidence will be filed with respect to each petition.
Following the hearing, Anil Desai from Shiv Sena (UBT) said, "As a Speaker, you have to take a decision against the actions done by the MLAs. They have violated the whip. After the order of the Supreme Court, the Speaker should take a decision as soon as possible. But he is taking time." 
Speaking about the disqualification proceedings, Desai said, "We are confident that the decision will come in favour of us."
The Shiv Sena split in June last year after Eknath Shinde, who was then a Minister in the Uddhav Thackeray cabinet splintered a coup within the ranks of the party and formed an alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), securing the Chief Minister's post for himself. 
The Uddhav Thackeray faction of the Shiv Sena has sought disqualification proceedings against those MLAs who joined hands with the BJP following Eknath Shinde's lead. (ANI)