Maharashtra Crisis: Supreme Court clears deck for floor test on Thursday, Uddhav Thackeray’s fate hangs in balance
The Supreme Court on Wednesday cleared the deck for the floor test in the Maharashtra Assembly on Thursday, refusing to interfere with Governor’s direction to Uddhav Thackeray-led MVA government to prove majority in the House.
The top court’s decision came after a prolonged hearing on a plea by Shiv Sena chief whip Sunil Prabhu challenging the Maharashtra Governor’s direction to CM Uddhav to face a trust vote. Earlier during the hearing, the top court had observed that the floor of the House was the only way to settle these issues of democracy.
The top court bench of Justices Surya Kant and J B Pardiwala, however, said that the result of the trust vote will depend on the petition, when it is heard next on July 11 along with other petitions related to the case.
The Uddhav Thackeray faction, represented by senior advocate A M Singhvi, sought balancing of equity and deferment of holding of the floor test on Thursday saying “Governors are not angels, they are humans”.
On the contrary, Shinde and the Governor, represented by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta sought the floor test. “Floor test can’t brook any delay and the Governor in totality is satisfied. Based on relevant materials, a floor test has to be held,” the top law officer told the bench on behalf of the Governor.
Sr Adv Neeraj Kishan Kaul, appearing for rebel Sena leader Eknath Shinde, had argued before the top court that a floor test can never be delayed and that it was the “only way to determine political accountability and avoid horse trading.” On the other hand, Sena counsel AM Singhvi had called the direction for a floor test tomorrow “unholy” and said that it revealed “undue haste”. He added that people who have changed sides cannot represent the will of the people and asked whether “heavens would fall if the floor test was not held tomorrow.”
Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari ordered the MVA government to prove its majority in a letter to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray. The Governor wrote he was conveyed that the government was in majority after 39 of Sena MLAs were willing to exit the MVA coalition government.