The Supreme Court on Monday said rebel Shiv Sena legislators led by Eknath Shinde need “breathing time” while giving them time till July 12 to respond to a notice issued by Deputy Speaker Narhari Zirwal on June 25 initiating disqualification proceedings against them for defection.
Mr. Shinde and 15 other legislators, against whom disqualification notice was issued, were supposed to submit their written responses before the Deputy Speaker by 5.30 p.m. on June 27.
A Vacation Bench of Justices Surya Kant and J.B. Pardiwala heeded their contention that they were given hardly 48 hours to respond to the disqualification notice when the law required the Speaker to grant them seven whole days. The apex court, it seems, has now ended up giving the rebel legislators a full fortnight to file their replies.
