Mumbai, Jul 8 (IANS): The Maharashtra Legislature has issued notices to the legislators of the ruling ally Shiv Sena and Opposition Shiv Sena (UBT) on the pending issue of the disqualification of 16 MLAs, including Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, official sources said here on Saturday.

The Shiv Sena, which is ruling with the Bharatiya Janata Party and since recently the breakaway Nationalist Congress Party, has the backing of around 41 MLAs, while Shiv Sena (UBT) led by ex-CM Uddhav Thackeray has the backing of some 14 MLAs.

An official said that "the process to issue the notices" has begun from Saturday but did not specify the number of MLAs of the two Senas who are being served the same.

The concerned MLAs have to submit their replies to the Speaker Rahul Narwekar within a week's time, and the hearings in the matter will start shortly, he added.

The keenly-watched disqualification proceedings are likely to be decided by the Speaker around early-August, nearly three months after the Supreme Court verdict in the 'Sena versus Sena' matter.

Besides CM Shinde, among those facing the axe of disqualification include -- ministers Tanaji Sawant, Sandeepan Bhumre and Abdul Sattar, and legislators Bharat Gogawale, Sanjay Shirsat, Yamini Jadhav, Prakash Surve, Mahesh Shinde, Lata Sonawane, Balaji Kinikar, Ramesh Bornale, Sanjay Raimulkar, Chimanrao Patil, and Balaji Kalankar.

Sena (UBT) leader Sunil Prabhu had last week filed a fresh plea in the Supreme Court seeking directions to the Speaker Narwekar to give his verdict in the matter within two weeks.

The Sena (UBT) has claimed that despite a party whip, these MLAs failed to attend the meeting convened by the then CM Thackeray, which amounts to anti-party activity and attracted disqualification as per the rules.

Besides, Prabhu pointed out that despite three reminders to the Legislature Secretariat, no steps were taken in the matter.

It may be recalled that in June 2022, the state witnessed a political quake when Shinde along with 40 Shiv Sena and 10 other independents walked out of the Thackeray government.

After a series of political developments culminating in Thackeray’s resignation on June 29, Shinde took over as the new CM on June 30 last year with the support of the BJP.