Mumbai: Before the Model Code of Conduct for the upcoming Maharashtra Assembly elections kicked in, seven out of 12 MLCs were appointed by Maharashtra Governor C P Radhakrishnan. They were administered oaths by the Deputy Chairman of the Legislative Council, Dr Neelam Gorhe in the auditorium of Vidhan Bhavan on Tuesday. The MLCs belong to the Mahayuti Section that rules the state.
The state cabinet had cleared 12 names for appointment to the post of MLC but only seven received the gubernatorial nod while the remaining five posts are yet to be filled.
Those who have been appointed are former MP Hemant Patil and former MLC Manisha Kayande, Chitra Wagh, Vikrant Patil, religious leader Babusingh Maharaj Rathod, Pankaj Bhujbal and Idris Naikwadi. Wagh was the former president of BJP's Women Wing while Patil served as the general secretary of the party.
The newly-inducted MLCs have boosted the strength of Mahayuti in the Legislative Council with 41 members in contrast to Mahavikas Aghadi's 17. There are still 20 MLC seats lying vacant. The nominated MLCs are required to be from different sections of the society with notable contributions.
the Shiv Sena (UBT) faction challenged Governor C P Radhakrishnan's decision to appoint seven MLAs for oath-taking in the Bombay High Court on Tuesday, demanding the cancellation of the swearing-in ceremony in the afternoon before the model code of conduct of the Election Commission comes into force.
The High Court has refused to give an urgent decision on the matter, explaining that the information provided by the petitioners will be used in its verdict. The matter was heard before Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyay.
Sunil Modi, the lawyer for the petitioner, informed Justice Upadhyay that seven persons were being appointed by the government as MLAs on Tuesday. At this time, state Advocate General Dr Birendra Saraf clarified that he could not take any stand on the decision. In reply, the court said it could not deliver an urgent decision, but the information would be considered in the decision on the pending petition in this case.
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