Mumbai: A day after Maharashtra legislative council deputy chairperson Neelam Gorhe ordered suspension of Satara superintendent of police following a ruckus during the zilla parishad poll, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis said action can be taken in such cases only after verifying facts while stressing that the legislature cannot step into the domain of the executive.Fadnavis said once the legislature gives an order, it is to be honoured. “But it does not mean the order cannot be overturned,” he added, explaining the Constitutional position in the council.Shiv Sena (UBT) MLC Anil Parab had moved a removal proposal on Tuesday against Gorhe, who belongs to the Shiv Sena, in light of her order to suspend Satara superintendent of police Tushar Doshi. Gorhe issued the order when the alleged manhandling of Shiv Sena minister Shambhuraj Desai, NCP (SP) MP Nitin Patil and MLCs Makarand Patil and Shashikant Shinde was raised in the council. The incident occurred on Friday at the Zilla Parishad office when elections were being held for the post of president and vice-president. Sena and NCP are in an alliance with 35 of 67 seats. However, BJP won the elections.In the assembly, the CM stayed the order of suspension pending an inquiry. Thereafter, BJP MLC Pravin Darekar sought a clarification on the powers of the chairperson, deputy chairperson and panel members who conduct House proceedings. Parab, while moving the proposal, said the chairperson does not belong to any (political) party and so cannot give orders that favour a party. He said the order created a constitutional deadlock and sought clarification.Fadnavis said the powers of the executive, judiciary and legislature are well delineated, adding “I seek pardon from the chairperson while stating that the chairperson cannot step into the shoes of the executive.”Referring to two incidents during the budget session, one in the lower house and the other in the upper house, where the panel speaker and deputy chairperson respectively ordered suspension of an IAS and IPS officer, Fadnavis said there’s a distinction between the two incidents. The incident in the lower house involved MPCB member secretary Devender Singh, an IAS officer. He said the officer did not turn up to brief the minister and since the incident happened in the legislature, the order given was “within the powers of the House.” But in the Satara incident which took place outside the legislature, “the power is of the executive.”
