The Supreme Court on Monday granted time to rebel Shiv Seva leader Eknath Shinde and other MLAs to reply to the disqualification notices issued to them by the Deputy Speaker of Maharashtra Legislative Assembly. The court has extended time till 5:30 pm of July 12.

Earlier, the Deputy Speaker had granted them time to file a reply by 5:30 pm today. A vacation bench of Justices Surya Kant and JB Pardiwala, in its order, said, “As an interim measure, the time granted by the Deputy Speaker, to the petitioners or other similarly placed MLAs to submit their submissions today by 5.30 pm, stands extended till July 12. The petitioners or other MLAs are at liberty to submit their reply without prejudice to their rights in the writ petition.”

The top court has now posted the matter for hearing on July 11.

The apex court was hearing the petitions filed by the Shinde group challenging the disqualification notices issued by the Deputy Speaker to 16 rebel MLAs as well as the appointment of Ajay Choudhary as Shiv Sena Legislature Party leader.

The bench also issued notices to the Deputy Speaker, Secretary of Maharashtra State Legislative Assembly, the Centre, Ajay Chaudhary, and Sunil Prabhu and asked them to file a reply within five days.