Vijay Namdeorao Wadettiwar v State Of Maharashtra & Ors | Surinder Mohan Arora & Ors v State of Maharashtra & Ors 10-ASWP !! -19"#$%O& Shephali REPORTABLE IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION WRIT PETITION NO. 6996 OF 2019 Vijay Namdeorao Wadettiwar, Age: 56 years, Occupation: Agriculture, R/o 73, Brahmapuri, District Chandrapure! … Petitioner ~ versus ~ 1. The State of Maharashtra, "hrough Chie# Secretary, $eneral A ministration Department, Mantralaya, Mum&ai! 2. The Hon’ble !hief Minister, Maharashtra State, %um&ai – ()) 03*! 3. The Hon’ble "overnor of Maharashtra, Ra+ Bha,an, Wal.esh,ar Roa , Mala&ar Hills, Mum&ai! 4. The Hon’ble S#ea$er, Maharashtra State Legislati1e Assem&ly, Mantralaya, %um&ai – ()) 03*! . Shri. Radha$rushna '$nath ( )alasaheb Vi$he Patil, Age: Ma+or, Occu: Politician, R/o: At post Loni (Pra1aranagar4, "5! Rahata, Dist: Ahme nagar! 6. Shri. *aydatta Sonajirao Pa'e 1 of 15) !th & 13th Se+tem,er 2019 ::: Uploaded on - 24/09/2019 ::: Downloaded on - 24/09/2019 17:04:22 ::: Vijay Namdeorao Wadettiwar v State Of Maharashtra & Ors | Surinder Mohan Arora & Ors v State of Maharashtra & Ors 10-ASWP !! -19"#$%O& +shirsa,ar, Age: Ma+or, Occu: Politician, R/o: A/P Ra+uri, T5 and Dist: Bee ! !. Shri. -vinash Sharad Mahatekar, Age: Ma+or, Occu: Politician, R/o: 152/5111, Bhimlight Co-op Hsg! Soc!, Nehru 8agar, Kurla 3:4, %um&ai – ()) 0*(! ; &es#ondents AND WRIT PETITION NO. 6922 OF 2019 1. Surinder Mohan Arora, Age: 65 years, Occu!: business, R/o: Plot 8o!33/13, A wing, 9iran Chandra CHS Lt !, Manish Nagar, Four Bungalo,s, Andheri, Mum&ai 4)) 053! 2. Sanjay Bhas$arrao $ale Age : 57 years, Occu: Me ical Representati1e and Social wor., R/o: “S,apna Bhas.ar>, S,ami ?i1e.anand 8agar, Kopargaon, T5! Kopargaon, Dist: Ahme nagar! 3. Sandee# S/o Vijay +u $arni Age : 46 years, Occu: Clot Store, R/o At Post Wa ala Maha eo, "5! Shrirampur, Dist: Ahme nagar! … Petitioners ~ versus ~ 1. The State of Maharashtra, "hrough Chie# Secretary, $eneral A ministration Department, Mantralaya, Mum&ai! Pa'e ) of 15) !th & 13th Se+tem,er 2019 ::: Uploaded on - 24/09/2019 ::: Downloaded on - 24/09/2019 17:04:22 ::: Vijay Namdeorao Wadettiwar v State Of Maharashtra & Ors | Surinder Mohan Arora & Ors v State of Maharashtra & Ors 10-ASWP !! -19"#$%O& 2. The Hon’ble !hief Minister, Maharashtra State, Mum&ai – 4)) 03*! 3. The Hon’ble "overnor of Maharashtra, Ra+ Bha,an, Wal.esh,ar Roa , Mala&ar Hills, Mum&ai! 4. The Hon’ble S#ea$er, Maharashtra State Legislati1e Assem&ly, Mantralaya, Mum&ai – 4)) 03*! . Shri. Radha$rushna '$nath ( )alasaheb Vi$he Patil, Age: Ma+or, Occu: Politician, R/o: At post Loni (Pra1aranagar4, "5! Rahata, Dist: Ahme nagar! 6. Shri. *aydatta Sonajirao +shirsa,ar, Age: Ma+or, Occu: Politician, R/o: A/P Ra+uri, T5 and Dist: Bee ! !. Shri. -vinash Sharad Mahatekar, Age: Ma+or, Occu: Politician, R/o: 152/5111, Bhimlight Co-op Hsg! Soc!, Nehru 8agar, Kurla 3:4, %um&ai – ()) 0*(! ; &es#ondents APPEARANCES FOR THE PETITIONER M" SB T#$%&#", with Madhavi Ayyappan, i/b Talekar & Associates. FOR RESPONDENT M" VA T()"#*+ S%,-)" A./)0#*%, with PP NOS. 1 & 2 Kakade, Government Pleader & Mrs AA Purav, AGP. FOR RESPONDENT M" V-,#1#& D H),+ Seni)" A./)0#*%, Pa'e * of 15) !th & 13th Se+tem,er 2019 ::: Uploaded on - 24/09/2019 ::: Downloaded on - 24/09/2019 17:04:22 ::: Vijay Namdeorao Wadettiwar v State Of Maharashtra & Ors | Surinder Mohan Arora & Ors v State of Maharashtra & Ors 10-ASWP !! -19"#$%O& NO. 5 with Ms Prachi A Tatake. FOR RESPONDENT M" VR K#3$%, i/b am & !o. NO. 6 FOR RESPONDENT M" B2 B#"/%, with Archana "ad, i/b #K NO. 7 #arve & !o. CORAM 4 S.C. D(#"5#.(-&#"- & G.S. P#*%$+ JJ. DATED 4 9*h & 13*h Sept%57%" 2019 ORAL JUDGMENT 3 Per S.C. Dharmadhikari , J 4: 1. By these petitions un er Article **6 of the Constitution of @ndia, the essential challenge of the petitioners is to the induction of Mr Ra ha.rushna ?i.he 2atil, Mr Aay atta 9shirsagar and Mr A1inash Mahate.ar as Ca&inet Ministers and Minister of State, respecti1ely in the Maharashtra State Ca&inet of Ministers! As the challenge is common, &oth petitions can &e ispose of &y a single Au gment. 2. -e ta.e the #acts in in -rit 2etition 8o. 6996 of *)6B fle &y Mr ?i+ay 8am eorao -a etti,ar! He says that he is a mem&er of the @n ian 8ational Congress 0egislature 2arty! He has &een electe Pa'e - of 15) !th & 13th Se+tem,er 2019 ::: Uploaded on - 24/09/2019 ::: Downloaded on - 24/09/2019 17:04:22 ::: Vijay Namdeorao Wadettiwar v State Of Maharashtra & Ors | Surinder Mohan Arora & Ors v State of Maharashtra & Ors 10-ASWP !! -19"#$%O& to the Maharashtra State 0egislati1e Council #or a term of siD years! /e is a lea er of the 0o,er House of the Maharashtra State 0egislature! He ha ofciate as Minister of State twice in the past. 3. "he Respondents 8os! 5, 6 and 7 are inducte in the State Ca&inet &y the Respon ent 8o. * and ,ere s,orn in as Ministers &y the HonF&le $o1ernor of Maharashtra in terms of the a 1ice tendere to him! "hese three persons are not mem&ers of the legislature! 4. As #ar as Respondent 8o. 5 is concerne , he ,as electe as a %em&er of the 0egislati1e Assem&ly #rom Shir i constituency in Maharashtra State 0egislati1e Assem&ly :lection *)6(! He conteste the elections as a candi ate of the @ndian 8ational Congress! He ,as lea er of opposition in the State 0egislati1e Assem&ly! "he 6th Respon ent was electe as an M.0!A! from Bee constituency in Maharashtra State 0egislati1e Assem&ly :lection *)6( as a candi ate of the Nationalist Congress Party! Pa'e ( of 15) !th & 13th Se+tem,er 2019 ::: Uploaded on - 24/09/2019 ::: Downloaded on - 24/09/2019 17:04:22 ::: Vijay Namdeorao Wadettiwar v State Of Maharashtra & Ors | Surinder Mohan Arora & Ors v State of Maharashtra & Ors 10-ASWP !! -19"#$%O& . Respon ent 8o. 5 resigne #rom his political party ,ith a eclaration that he intends to +oin the Bharatiya Aanata 2arty, namely, the ruling party! "his is e1i ent, accor ing to the 2etitioner, #rom a ne,s item pu&lishe in the aily ne,spapers circulate in %um&ai and else,here in Maharashtra and that is not ispute ! "hus, Respondent No. 5 has no, joine the Bharatiya Aanata Party! 6. "he 6th Respondent is a candi ate #rom Chausala District, Bee ! /e e5ually ma e up his mind on **nd May *)6B to se1er his relations with the Nationalist Congress Party and join the Shi1 Sena! !. "hese persons thus resigne #rom their respecti1e erstwhile parties and +oine the ruling alliance! "hese two Respondents ha1e emitte their seats &y resigning #rom the ?i han Sa&ha / State 0egislati1e Assem&ly! "hus, the 5th Respon ent is not the lea er o# opposition in the Assem&ly nor is he associate ,ith the @ndian 8ational Congress 2arty! On 16th Aune *)19, he ,as s,orn in as a Ca&inet Minister! Pa'e of 15) !th & 13th Se+tem,er 2019 ::: Uploaded on - 24/09/2019 ::: Downloaded on - 24/09/2019 17:04:22 ::: Vijay Namdeorao Wadettiwar v State Of Maharashtra & Ors | Surinder Mohan Arora & Ors v State of Maharashtra & Ors 10-ASWP !! -19"#$%O& 8. At page (6 of the paper7&oo. is a letter of one Sanjay 9ale! /e has in1ite the attention of the authorities concerne to Article 16( of the Constitution of @ndia! He has complaine that this induction into the Ca&inet of these two persons in 5uestion is nothing &ut an attempt to get o1er the Constitutional mandate and a1oi the conse5uences of the Anti-De#ection 0a,! @t is an attempt to get o1er the Constitutional em&argo on change of political loyalty &y resigning #rom the party on ,hose tic.ets the candi ates ha1e &een electe , and this is one +ust C1e months &e#ore the en of the term of the House! Such persons are re,ar e &y ma.ing them Ca&inet %inisters although it is .no,n that they ,ill not &e electe ,ithin the period specife in clause 3(4 of Article 16( of the Constitution of @ndia! "here is no re-election possi&le! By 1irtue o# Section 151-A of the Representation of 2eoples Act 6B51, no &ye7 elections can &e hel to fll up any 1acancy that might &e cause e1en i# these two persons resign. "oday, the situation is that the is5ualifcation procee ings ,hich ha1e &een initiate against these two persons are pending! Pa'e . of 15) !th & 13th Se+tem,er 2019 ::: Uploaded on - 24/09/2019 ::: Downloaded on - 24/09/2019 17:04:22 ::: Vijay Namdeorao Wadettiwar v State Of Maharashtra & Ors | Surinder Mohan Arora & Ors v State of Maharashtra & Ors 10-ASWP !! -19"#$%O& 9. "he 7th Respon ent, A1inash Mahate.ar, is not a mem&er of either House &ut he is a Mem&er of the Repu&lican 2arty of @ndia, Atha,ale $roup! /e is e5ually a &enefciary of a &erth in the State Ca&inet. He ,ill also not &e electe either, #or no election is possi&le to ena&le him to get electe to the House! 10.