Mumbai, June 24 (Agency)
Two pro-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislators in Maharashtra on Friday objected to Deputy Speaker Narhari Jirwal’s nod to appoint Shiv Sena MLA Ajay Chaudhary as the new leader of the party’s legislature party. Independent MLAs Yogesh Baldi and Vinod Aggarwal demanded the removal of Jirwal from the post over this decision. Talking to reporters here, Baldi said, “The Deputy Speaker of the Assembly cannot take such decisions as it is the prerogative of the Speaker.” We will soon take legal steps in this regard.
However, Dr. Anant Kalse, former Principal Secretary, Vidhan Bhavan, said, “Article 180 of the Constitution clearly states that the Deputy Speaker can take a decision when the post of Speaker of the Assembly falls vacant. I don’t think this demand of independent MLAs can survive in the court.” The post is vacant since then. Jirwal has given his approval to appoint Ajay Choudhary as the leader of the Shiv Sena Legislature Party in place of Eknath Shinde.
