Presiding officers must remain above party politics: Maharashtra Speaker

Mumbai: Maharashtra assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar has said the "principal obligation" of the presiding officer of a legislature is to remain impartial and above party politics while allowing elected representatives to express their views freely.

Speaking at the 84th All India Presiding Officers' Conference here on Saturday, Narwekar, who faced severe criticism from the Shiv Sena (UBT) over his recent ruling on disqualification petitions, also said that constitutional offices should not be dragged into political bickering.

"We all are stakeholders in the political process but (at the same time) aloof from it, in a manner of speaking. The principal obligation of a presiding officer is to remain unbiased, impartial and above party politics while permitting the elected representatives to articulate their views freely," he said.

Recently, there have been instances of people making derogatory remarks about presiding officers, he said, adding, "I welcome any difference of opinion, but feel that it should be expressed in a dignified manner and language."

Earlier this month, Narwekar came under severe attack from the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) after he gave a ruling recognising the faction led by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde as the "real" Shiv Sena while hearing disqualification pleas filed by the two factions.

The Shiv Sena (UBT) accused him of behaving in a partisan manner.