Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti seeks reconstitution of border dispute expert panel, requests appointment of Jayant Patil as chairman
Kolhapur: Belagavi-based Maharashtra Ekikaran Samiti (MES), a forum advocating for the incorporation of Marathi-speaking regions in Karnataka into Maharashtra, has called for the reconstitution of the expert group and the appointment of former minister and NCP (SP) state president Jayant Patil as its chairman.
Maharashtra govt recently reconstituted the high-powered committee chaired by chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, including representatives from all political parties. Established in 2004, the high-powered committee formed an expert group in 2007, led by member N D Patil, to coordinate between MES, Maharashtra's lawyers in the Supreme Court, and the committee. N D Patil visited the border areas, collected necessary documents, interacted with Maharashtra govt and lawyers, and assisted in building the case.
Prakash Margale, treasurer of MES, told TOI, "We have passed the resolution demanding the reconstitution of the expert group and appointment of Jayant Patil as its chairman for two reasons — he led the experts group for nearly two years after the demise of N D Patil, and he is a senior politician who can be accessible and also is part of the high-powered committee."
Following the collapse of the Maha Vikas Aghadi govt, Mahayuti govt, led by then chief minister Eknath Shinde, appointed Shiv Sena's Hatkanangle MP Dhairyasheel Mane as head of the expert body.
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After the formation of the new govt, the high-powered committee was established, and the constitution of the expert group is pending.
Margale added, "The last hearing over the Maharashtra-Karnataka border dispute took place in 2014; however, since then, no hearing has been conducted due to Covid and other reasons. We want the high-powered committee to ask lawyers to request the SC to conduct regular hearings over the dispute and give a verdict."
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