In perhaps an unprecedented intervention made on behalf of the Opposition which has already sparked a political debate in the State, Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari has asked Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray to take a call on the various demands of Leader of Opposition Devendra Fadnavis, including the need for a longer Monsoon Session and holding of Assembly Speaker’s elections immediately.
Already miffed with the Governor over “inordinate” delay the nomination of 12 members to the State Legislative Council, the Shiv Sena-led MVA Government is unlikely to heed Koshyari’s request to it to consider Fadnavis’ various demands, including the need for extending the two-day monsoon session of the State Legislature beginning from July 5 and holding elections to fill the vacancy of the Speaker.
Informed sources said in the MVA said that Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray —who held a meeting of his Cabinet colleagues from the Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress at his official bungalow “Varsha” on Wednesday evening to discuss the strategy for the two-day monsoon session – might not toe the Raj Bhavan line by either extending the period of the monsoon session or holding the Speaker’s elections during the forthcoming Legislature session.
As per the schedule for the budget session of the State Legislature decided at the Business Advisory Committee (BAC) meeting held on June 22, the first day of the session (i.e July 5) will involve placing of various Government notifications on table, debate on supplementary demands of budget, Government business and condolence resolutions. On the second and final day (i.e. July 6), the debate on supplementary demands will continue and both the Houses will vote on the supplementary demands. Both the Houses will also pass a bill on non-planned expenditure and transact government.
Interestingly, the elections to the post of Assembly Speaker— necessitated by the resignation of Nana Patole who resigned from the post on February 4 ahead of his appointment as the Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee president – does not figure in the agenda decided at the BAC committee meeting held on June 22, 2021.
On his part, Congress Legislature Party leader and Revenue Minister Balasaheb Thorat has gone on record saying that the elections to the Speaker’s elections would be held on the final day of the monsoon session on July 6.
Meanwhile, what has surprised many in the state political circles is why has Koshyari– who was a BJP leader prior to his appointment as the State BJP leader – has chosen to bat the Opposition so openly.
In his letter dated June 24, 2021, the Governor referred to his meeting with Leader of the Opposition Fadnavis and other BJP leaders and two memoranda that he had received from the latter on June 23. Three main demands made in the memoranda were: a longer monsoon session than the current two-day session, the need for holding the Speaker’s elections immediately and postponement of the local body elections pending a resolution of a dispute over the OBC reservations.
Given that it has chosen to restrict the monsoon session of the State Legislature in view of the current Covid-19 situation in the state, the MVA government is unlikely to extend the period of the scheduled two-day monsoon session of the State Legislature.
Though the ruling MVA has numbers to its Speaker in place of outgoing Congress leader Nana Patole, it is quite unlikely to yield to pressure brought to bear on it by the Opposition BJP though the Governor who has made an unusual request to him to take a call on Fadnavis’ demands.
As is it's wont, the ruling MVA is using the Governor’s request to consider the Opposition’s demands as a bargaining chip to mount pressure on Koshyari to take a call on the pending nominations of 12 members to the State Legislative Council as recommended by the Uddhav Thackeray in November last year.
Among other things, NCP spokesperson and Minority Affairs Minister Nawab Malik said the final decision on holding the elections to the Speaker’s post would be taken once the state government received Covid-19 test reports of all the MLAs.
Making a conditional offer to the Governor, Malik said: “We will hold the election to the Speaker''s post but the Governor should also take a decision on nominating 12 members as MLCs from his quota. The 12 legislators can contribute to the development and welfare of the people of Maharashtra”.
It may be recalled that on November 6, 2020, a ministerial delegation comprising Parliamentary Affairs minister Anil Parab of Shiv Sena, Malik of NCP and Medical Education and Cultural Affairs Minister Amit Deshmukh had called on Koshyari at the Raj Bhavan and submitted the names of 12 persons whom it recommended for nomination to the State Legislative Council.
The Article 171(5) of the Constitution states: “The members to be nominated by the Governor under sub clause (e) of clause (3) shall consist of persons having special knowledge or practical experience in respect of such matters as the following, namely: literature, science, art, co operative movement and social service.”
There is no time frame for the Governor to make such nominations. In the normal course, the Governor acts on the state government’s recommendation
However, Koshyari -- who in his capacity as the Governor nominates 12 MLCs for tenure of six years based on the recommendations of the state Cabinet – has been sitting over the Uddhav Thackeray government’s recommendations for nearly eight-long months for reasons best known to him.