“We will list it for hearing on March 7 (Thursday),” the chief justice of India said, adding that several matters, which were to be listed on March 1, could not be accommodated in the list as the bench has to rise early.On February 5 and 12, the top court assured early listing of the plea after Sibal mentioned it.The Supreme Court on January 22 issued notices to Chief Minister Shinde and other lawmakers of his group on the Thackeray bloc’s plea challenging the speaker’s order.The court had then ordered its listing after two weeks.The Thackeray faction has alleged that Shinde “unconstitutionally usurped power” and is heading an “unconstitutional government” in Maharashtra.In an order passed on January 10, Speaker Narwekar rejected the Thackeray faction’s plea to disqualify 16 MLAs of the ruling camp, including Shinde.The Thackeray faction has termed the speaker’s order “patently unlawful and perverse” and instead of punishing the act of defection, they reward the defectors by holding that they comprise the real political party.



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