MUMBAI, 4 OCTOBER, 2024 (GPN): The 12 posts of Maharashtra legislative council (MLC), which are to be filled under Article 171(5) of the Constitution by individuals with special knowledge and experience in various fields, have remained vacant for over four years.This long-pending issue of filling 12 governor-nominated seats in the MLC is finally gaining momentum. After four years of delays, the appointments are expected to be finalised soon, and the political battle over these key positions has intensified. With the state assembly elections around the corner, these nominations are seen as a strategic move by the ruling coalition to strengthen its position and send a clear message to party workers.

The nominations for the 12 seats, which had been stalled since the previous Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government’s tenure, are now set to proceed under the leadership of the Eknath Shinde-led government. During the MVA rule, the government had sent recommendations for these appointments in June 2020, but the then-governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari did not approve them, citing procedural concerns. This led to allegations of deliberate delay, prompting Kolhapur-based activist Sunil Modi to file a petition in the High Court.The Bombay High Court had denied a “status-quo” request put forth by Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sunil Modi, who challenged the Governor’s decision to scrap the appointments of 12 Maharashtra Legislative Council (MLC) members, recommended by the previous Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government in 2020.

A bench comprising Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Amit Borkar was hearing the plea when Senior Advocate Menaka Guruswamy, representing Sunil Modi, requested a status quo be maintained concerning the appointments.The next hearing was kept on 1st October, 2024 to determine if Sunil Modi’s petition can be sustained.

In another incidend when PM Modi visited the Chief Justice’s residence for Ganpati Puja in September, where CJI Chandrachud, along with his wife Kalpana Das, welcomed the Prime Minister.This visit sparked a row of discontent among MVA as they suggested it might affect judicial impartiality. Sanjay Raut advised CJI Chandrachud to recuse himself from this case involving the Uddhav Thackeray group.Raut questioned the Chief Justice’s ability to remain unbiased in a major ongoing case in Maharashtra, where Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sunil Prabhu has challenged the Maharashtra Assembly Speaker’s ruling. The ruling had declared the Eknath Shinde-led faction as the ‘real’ Shiv Sena.

After the power shift in Maharashtra in July 2022, with the Mahayuti government taking charge, the previous list of nominees was scrapped. Now, as the state gears up for assembly elections, efforts are being made to finalise these crucial nominations.

The Shinde-led Shiv Sena has taken the lead in nominating candidates for these governor-appointed MLC seats within the Mahayuti alliance. According to sources, the Shinde camp has submitted a list of five potential candidates to the Bharatiya Janta Party leadership, emphasising the need to address internal party discontent. Those who were denied tickets for the April-June Lok Sabha elections or missed out on key positions in the party are being given priority in these nominations. It is also reported that individuals who were promised positions in state corporations are likely to be included.

Among the names proposed by the Shinde camp are Manisha Kayande, Ravindra Pathak, Chandrakant Raghuvanshi, Hemant Patil, and Sanjay More. While these names are yet to be officially confirmed, it is expected that the three ruling alliance partners — BJP, Shiv Sena, and NCP led by Ajit Pawar — will soon announce the final list.

The BJP is keen on securing the maximum number of seats for its nominees. Reports suggest that the party is claiming six of the 12 seats while proposing that the Shiv Sena and the Ajit Pawar-led NCP receive three seats each. This power-sharing arrangement, if agreed upon, would allow the BJP to maintain its dominance in the nominations while ensuring coalition stability ahead of the assembly polls. The nominations for these 12 seats are crucial, not only because they provide political mileage for the ruling alliance but also because they serve as a tool to reward loyal party members and address factional issues within the coalition.

As Maharashtra prepares for assembly elections, these appointments are likely to have a significant impact on the political landscape. The finalisation of these nominations could bring an end to the long-standing uncertainty, while also sending a strong signal about the unity and strategic priorities of the ruling Mahayuti alliance.