Asli, Naqli NCP: SC seeks Ajit response

The Supreme Court on Monday sought the responses of Ajit Pawar and his 40 MLAs on a plea moved by the Sharad Pawar faction of the NCP challenging Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar's decision declaring the group led by the deputy chief minister as the real NCP.

A bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra took note of the submissions made by senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi, who appeared on behalf of the Sharad Pawar faction, that the plea needed an urgent hearing keeping in mind that the term of the Assembly expires in November. The bench said it will hear the plea filed by Jayant Patil and Jitendra Awhad, lawmakers from the Sharad Pawar faction, just after it has heard a similar petition of the Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray camp of the Shiv Sena.