Floor test in Maharashtra assembly tomorrow: What SC said

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Wednesday rejected Uddhav government's plea and refused to stay the floor test in Maharashtra assembly tomorrow.

A vacation bench of Justices Surya Kant and J B Pardiwala heard arguments on behalf of Shiv Sena, its rebel MLAs led by Eknath Shinde, and the Governor on the plea in the hearing conducted after 5 pm through hybrid mode.

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.

Here's what the Supreme Court said:

- We are not staying the floor test. We are issuing notice. you can file counter.

- We will hear on merits along with other cases on July 11.

- The bench said it is ordering notice on the petitions and that tomorrow's floor test proceedings will be subject to the final outcome of the writ petition by Shiv Sena chief whip Sunil Prabhu, who termed the Governor's direction for floor test as illegal.

- Bench also heard the petitions filed by Nawab Malik and Anil Deshmukh, who are now in jail, seeking permission to vote in the floor test tomorrow. "Let them participate, they are elected MLAs. In a hypothetical situation, any central agencies can implicate MLAs in cases and prevent them," the apex court said. "We allow the applicants to participate in proceedings of floor test scheduled to be held tomorrow in the Maharashtra legislative assembly," it added.