SC agrees to hear next week plea against change in Maharashtra Speaker election rules

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday agreed to hear next week the plea for hearing filed by Maharashtra BJP MLA Girish Mahajan challenging the validity of new rules of the open voting method to elect the Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the state Assembly.

A bench of Chief Justice of India NV Ramana and Justice Krishna Murari agreed to list the case next week for hearing after senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi appearing for the Maharashtra government sought an urgent hearing. Singhvi told the bench that the issue is related to whether the Chief Minister can recommend fixing dates in the election of a Speaker.
He sought urgent listing saying the Assembly is "headless".

Mahajan has challenged the March 9 order of the Bombay High Court dismissing his plea against the new rules envisaging the open voting method to elect the Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the Assembly.
The notification of December 23, 2021, was "illegally and arbitrarily" issued by the Maharashtra government amending Rules 6 and 7 of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly Rule, 1960, under which the secret ballot method was replaced with an open vote system through a voice vote and show of hands, said Mahajan in his plea.

The amendment to Rule 6 and Rule 7 of the MLA Rules the "secret ballot" system for the election of the speaker or deputy speaker of assembly has been replaced with an "open" voting system, added the plea. (ANI)