Hearing a petition on the issue of formation of the government by the BJP in Maharashtra, the Supreme Court on Sunday has asked the Centre to produce supporting documents given to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis by NCP MLAs to form government in the state.
Reportedly, the SC has also sought records of correspondence between the Governor and the Centre regarding revocation of President’s Rule. The documents are to be placed before the Supreme Court by 10.30 am tomorrow, when the court convenes on Monday morning. Appearing for the Centre, the Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said to the court that he can get records from Governor’s Office but that would needed some time.
The apex court will pass the appropriate order after that.
Read: Did Abhishek Manu Singhvi accidentally reveal the number of NCP MLAs supporting Ajit Pawar?
On Sunday, the Supreme Court of India heard the petition related to the ongoing political crisis in Maharashtra. The matter was heard by the SC Bench of Justices NV Ramana, Ashok Bhushan, and Sanjiv Khanna.
Earlier in the day, senior Congress leader and advocate Kapil Sibal while appearing for Shiv Sena in the Supreme Court today had said that the apex court should order floor test today itself and let the BJP prove its majority in the assembly.
“If they don’t, let us stake the claim,” he said. Referring to Maharashtra governor’s move to invite the BJP to form government early morning on Saturday as ‘malafide’, Sibal said, “When somebody had announced at 7 pm that we are forming the government, the act of Governor is biased, malafide, contrary to all laws established by this Court.”
Senior Advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi said in a situation like this, the Governor must satisfy himself with a written document which bears signatures. “The Governor should also seek a physical meeting. However, he did not do anything like that.”
Sibal was appearing for Shiv Sena in the apex court on the joint plea filed by the Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress against the Governor’s decision to invite Devendra Fadnavis to form the government.
The Congress, NCP and Shiv Sena demanded that the BJP should immediately face a floor test if it has the numbers. The parties also accused Maharashtra Governor BS Koshyari of bias and said the lifting of President’s Rule was “shrouded in mystery”.
On Saturday, the Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress had filed a joint plea in the Supreme Court challenging the government formation in Maharashtra where Governor Koshyari invited Devendra Fadnavis to form the government.
In a massive political coup, the BJP and NCP leader, Ajit Pawar’ faction formed an alliance in the state of Maharashtra on Saturday morning. While people slept, Devendra Fadnavis was sworn in as the Chief Minister and Ajit Pawar was sworn in as the Deputy CM.
The previous night, Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut had announced that Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray had agreed to become the chief minister of Maharashtra. But before they could make the next move, the tables had turned and BJP had already formed the government when they slept.
