The Supreme Court has held that the Governor’s order for floor test in Madhya Pradesh was well with in his rights as the state government had lost the majority.
A bench headed by Justice DY Chandrachud and also comprising Justice Ajay Rastogi passed a verdict in the matter. The apex court, in a 68-page judgment on the powers of Governor, said the floor test was necessary as the government had lost the majority.
The then chief minister Kamal Nath resigned on March 20, hours before a floor test ordered by the governor . The state had been in political crisis for two weeks prior to that as 22 MLAs loyal to Jyotiraditya Scindia resigned from the Assembly, reducing the Congress-led government to a minority.
The bench of Justices D.Y. Chandrachud and Ajay Rastogi ruled on Monday the “Governor was right in ordering the floor test and that it was necessary as the government had lost the majority.”
Justice Chandrachud said the Supreme Court was giving a 68-page judgement on the powers of the governor, explaining the “constitutional laws and powers of governor”. The Supreme Court ruled, “There’s no impediment to a governor asking a chief minister to show majority”.
Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who has since become chief minister of Madhya Pradesh again, and other BJP leaders had petitioned the Supreme Court in March, alleging that Kamal Nath’s government was not heeding the governor’s directive for a floor test. The Congress then contended that the governor could not interfere with the running of the legislature.
Read order attached below: