Maha Assembly Speaker's election: MVA delegation meets Governor

A delegation of senior Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) ministers called on Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari seeking his clearance for the upcoming elections to the post of Speaker of Maharashtra Assembly, officials said on Sunday.
Urban Development Minister Eknath Shinde (Shiv Sena), Civil Supplies Minister Chhagan Bhujbal (Nationalist Congress Party) and Revenue Minister Balasaheb Thorat (Congress) met Koshyari and discussed the election to the crucial post which has been lying vacant for 10 months.

The then Speaker Nana Patole resigned after he was appointed as state Congress chief and since then Deputy Speaker Narhari Zirwal, of the NCP, has been officiating.

As per current indications, the Speaker's election is likely to be held in the next couple of days by a voice vote, before the Winter Session of the state Legislature ends on December 28.

Thorat, who is also Congress Legislature Party Leader said that the delegation handed over a letter from Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray to the Governor in this regard.

On his part, the Governor sought details of the amendment in legislative rules about conducting the election by voice vote instead of secret ballot.

"The Governor has informed us that he would discuss and seek more information from the legal experts and convey his decision by Monday," Thorat told media persons. -IANS