SC quashes suspension of 12 Maharashtra BJP MLAs, Devendra Fadnavis says Democracy saved
Twelve BJP MLAs were suspended from the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly for one year after the state government accused them of "misbehaving" with presiding officer Bhaskar Jadhav in the Speaker's chamber in July 2021
New Delhi: In a respite for 12 BJP MLAs of Maharashtra Legislative Assembly, the Supreme Court on Friday quashed their one-year suspension from the assembly while terming it 'unconstitutional and arbitrary'.
Maharashtra Opposition leader Devendra Fadnavis welcomed the SC decision.
Fadnavis said in a tweet, "We welcome & thank the Hon SC for the historic decision of quashing of suspension of our 12 @BJP4Maharashtra MLAs, who were fighting for the cause of OBCs in Maharashtra Legislative Assembly during the monsoon session."
"Since the beginning, we were saying that it was completely unconstitutional & gross misuse of power to suspend our MLAs for such a long period to create artificial majority & that too for no valid reason & the Hon SC has upheld our stand."
Twelve BJP MLAs were suspended from the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly for one year after the state government accused them of "misbehaving" with presiding officer Bhaskar Jadhav in the Speaker's chamber in July 2021. The motion to suspend the MLAs was moved by state Parliamentary Affairs Minister Anil Parab and passed by a voice vote.
The 12 suspended members are- Sanjay Kute, Ashish Shelar, Abhimanyu Pawar, Girish Mahajan, Atul Bhatkhalkar, Parag Alavani, Harish Pimpale, Yogesh Sagar, Jay Kumar Rawat, Narayan kuche, Ram Satpute and Bunty Bhangdia.
(With agency inputs)
