Uddhav Thackeray-led faction files fresh plea in Supreme Court to challenge Eknath Shinde`s appointment as Maha CM, hearing on July 11

New Delhi: Uddhav Thackeray-led faction on Friday (July 8) moved Supreme Court challenging the Maharashtra Governor’s June 30th decision to invite Eknath Shinde to form government in Maharashtra and election of the Speaker in the Assembly. The top court agreed to hear on July 11 the fresh plea of the Uddhav Thackeray-led faction challenging the appointment of Eknath Shinde as Chief Minister of Maharashtra.

Senior advocate Devadatt Kamat, appearing for Shiv Sena leader Subhash Desai, submitted before a vacation bench of Justices Indira Banerjee and JK Maheshwari that they are seeking listing of the fresh plea along with other pending petitions which are coming up for hearing on July 11. The vacation bench said the fresh plea will be listed before an appropriate bench on July 11.

Shiv Sena leader Subhash Desai has challenged the Governor's June 30 decision to invite a coalition of the Shinde faction and the BJP to form government in Maharashtra. The fresh plea has also challenged the validity of assembly proceedings held on July 3 and July 4 in which a new Speaker of the House was elected and subsequent proceedings of floor test in which the Shinde-led coalition had proved its majority.

Earlier also several petitions have been filed by the Thackeray-led faction on various issues related to the Maharashtra political crisis, which are coming up for hearing on July 11.

Rebellion by a section of Sena MLAs, led by Shinde, had resulted in the collapse of the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government. Both the factions have claimed that their respective group represents the original Shiv Sena. Of the 55 Sena MLAs, 40 are with Chief Minister Shinde.