Maharashtra Governor BS Koshyari rejects the MVA Government's plan to hold a voice vote election for Assembly Speaker

The Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government and Governor BS Koshyari conflict with the assembly Speaker's election, which is set for December 28. On Monday, the state government suffered a defeat when the Governor rejected its request to hold the Speaker's election by voice vote rather than secret ballot. "As a result, these far-reaching revisions must be legally assessed in cooperation with constitutional experts," the Governor remarked. Interestingly, the Governor, who had previously requested the state government when the Speaker's election would be held, has yet to provide a date for the election.

However, in a strongly worded response sent on Monday, the state administration, which wrote the first letter on December 24 and the second letter on December 27, clearly stated that regulations have been altered according to the authority acquired by the legislature. The state administration, hours after Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, who headed the state cabinet, made a second appeal to the Governor in a letter to clear its plan for holding the Speaker's election. With today's letter, the state government has made it clear to the Governor that the Speaker's election will be held by voice vote on Tuesday. On Tuesday morning, the ruling MVA partners Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress will meet to make a final decision. The five-day winter session, by the way, ends on Tuesday.

Last Wednesday, the state government filed a proposal to modify rules 6 and 7 relating to the election of the Assembly Speaker and Deputy Speaker by voice vote rather than secret ballot. The state assembly passed it by voice vote, despite the BJP's opposition to the revisions. The BJP had argued that it would be inappropriate for the state government to proceed with the Speaker's election when the party's 12 legislators were suspended for a year during the monsoon session in July. The state government, on the other hand, had vehemently defended its action. The Speaker's election was required since the position had been vacant for more than nine months when the incumbent, Nana Patole, resigned to become the State Congress Chairman.

Image Courtesy: @BSKoshyari