Maharashtra: Former Minister Manikrao Kokate Retains MLA Status as Supreme Court Stays Sentence

Mumbai/New Delhi: Former Maharashtra Minister and NCP leader Manikrao Kokate has received a major legal relief from the Supreme Court, ensuring that his legislative assembly membership remains intact. The top court stayed the sentence handed down by the Nashik court, which had convicted Kokate in a 30-year-old case, threatening both his ministerial post and his MLA status.

Background of the Case
Manikrao Kokate, a prominent leader from the Maratha community and a close aide of Ajit Pawar, previously served as the Agriculture Minister in the Fadnavis government. He later handled the Sports Department after a controversy arose in the Assembly for playing Rummy on his mobile phone during proceedings. Kokate, a five-time MLA from Nashik, was sentenced to two years in prison in the 1995 Housing Scam, which led to the loss of his ministerial position and put his MLA status in jeopardy under the Representation of the People Act, which disqualifies representatives sentenced to two years or more.

Supreme Court’s Intervention
The Supreme Court bench, led by Chief Justice Suryakant, granted Kokate a two-year relief by suspending the Nashik court’s sentence. This decision allows Kokate to retain his MLA status despite having lost his ministerial post. Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi appeared on behalf of Kokate, arguing that the case is decades old and that the High Court’s earlier refusal to stay the sentence adversely impacted Kokate’s political future and his constituency’s representation.

High Court vs. Supreme Court
Earlier, the Bombay High Court had granted Kokate bail but declined to stay the sentence, which triggered Section 8 of the Representation of the People Act, putting his legislative position at risk. Following the Supreme Court’s intervention, Kokate’s assembly membership is now secure, providing him relief from the political uncertainty caused by the decades-old conviction.

Political Significance
Manikrao Kokate remains a senior figure in Ajit Pawar’s party and a key representative of the Maratha community in Maharashtra. The Supreme Court’s decision is expected to have significant implications for his political career and the party’s strength in the state assembly.