Disqualification hearing should take place on weekends too: Sena (UBT) lawyer

Asim Sarode, the lawyer representing the Shiv Sena (UBT) before the Maharashtra assembly Speaker who is hearing disqualification petitions filed by the rival Sena camps, on Tuesday said the hearing should take place on weekends too, as the deadline of December 31 is approaching.

The cross-examination of Sunil Prabhu, chief whip of the undivided Shiv Sena (who is now with the Thackeray faction), continued on Tuesday, he told reporters here.

''The hearing should also take place on Saturday and Sunday. It should also be held for more days, as the winter session (of the Maharashtra legislature) is going to start next month,'' he said.

According to the Supreme Court's direction, Speaker Rahul Narwekar is to give his verdict by December 31.

The warring Shiv Sena factions filed disqualification petitions against each other's MLAs after Eknath Shinde split the party and formed government with the BJP in June 2022.

After Prabhu's cross-examination is over, the Thackeray camp will also have its own round of cross-examination, advocate Sarode said.