Maharashtra political turmoil: SC gives go ahead to Guv's floor test order

Amid the major political turmoil taking place in Maharashtra currently, the Supreme Court on Wednesday dismissed plea of Shiv Sena chief whip Sunil Prabhu challenging the Maharashtra Governor's direction to the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government to take a floor test in the Assembly on Thursday. The floor test will take place tomorrow at 11 am.

SC said that the result of floor test will be subject to outcome of the case.

Furthermore, jailed Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) MLAs Nawab Malik and Anil Deshmukh have also been allowed to attend the floor test.

The top court also stated that the pleas by Prabhu and rebel Shiv Sena MLAs will be heard together on July 11.

A vacation bench of Justices Surya Kant and J B Pardiwala took note of submissions of senior advocate A M Singhvi that an urgent hearing was needed given the decision taken by Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari asking the MVA government to prove a majority at 11 am tomorrow.

Earlier, the governor's decision was preceded by visit on Tuesday night by a BJP delegation which demanded a floor test claiming that the Sena-led government was in minority. Prabhu then moved the Supreme Court against Governor Koshyari’s direction.

Meanwhile, Shiv Sena rebel MLA Eknath Shinde's lawyers on Wednesday told the Supreme Court that the Uddhav Thackeray-led faction is in a “hopeless minority” within the party and a floor test in the Assembly is the best way to stop horse-trading.

Shinde's lawyers told SC that the Thackeray-led faction of the Sena is in a “hopeless minority” within the party and a floor test in the Assembly is the best way to stop horse-trading.

During the arguments, the bench observed that the floor of the House is the only way to settle these issues of democracy.

The bench also asked senior advocate A M Singhvi, appearing for Prabhu, how can floor test impact the disqualification process or interfere with the powers of the speaker to conduct disqualification proceedings.

“Our understanding is that floor of the house is the only way to settle these issues of democracy,” the bench observed.

Singhvi told the apex court that people who have changed sides do not reflect the will of people and heavens won't fall if the floor test is not held tomorrow.

He argued that the court must not allow a floor test to be held till the deputy speaker decides on the disqualification petition against some rebel MLAs.

Elsewhere, after spending eight days in Assam, rebel Shiv Sena MLAs led by Shinde left Guwahati on Wednesday evening for Goa.

The Shiv Sena MLAs along with some Independent legislators were camping in Guwahati, around 2,700 km away, since June 22, plunging their government in Maharashtra into crisis.

A major decision taken by the cabinet on Wednesday was renaming of Aurangabad city as Sambhajinagar.

(With inputs from Aneesha Mathur and agencies)