The Supreme Court on Thursday will hear a petition filed by Bharatiya Janata Party MLAs to hold immediate floor test in Madhya Pradesh State Assembly. A bench consisting of Justices DY Chandrachud and Hemant Gupta will hear the matter.
Nine BJP MLAs, including former CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan moved the apex court, seeking a floor test in the assembly within 48 hours.
The petition contended that 22 Congress legislators resigned on account of their dissatisfaction with Mr. Nath’s “non-fulfilment of promises made prior to elections and have tendered their resignation to the speaker on March 10.
“Since the government appears to have lost the majority in the House and the Chief Minister had himself expressed willingness to conduct the floor test, the Governor, in exercise of his constitutional powers, in a letter dated March 14, directed the Chief Minister to conduct a floor test in the House and prove his majority on March 16, when the Budget Session of the Assembly begins,” the petition read.
“The direction of the Governor has, thus, intentionally and wilfully been defied. The Chief Minister and his party leaders have publicly declined to conduct the floor test,” the petition said.
A total of 106 MLAs of the BJP on Monday reached the residence of governor Lalji Tandon, demanding immediate floor test after the Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly was adjourned till March 26.
The budget session of the Madhya Pradesh Assembly was adjourned till March 26 after the Kamal Nath-led government cited concerns over coronavirus.
Governor Lalji Tandon wrote to Chief Minister Kamal Nath, requesting him to “conduct the floor test on 17th March otherwise it will be considered that you actually don’t have the majority in the state assembly”.
The Kamal Nath led-government that come into power in November 2018 is facing a major challenge as a group of MLAs loyal to Senior Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia resigned from the party. Shortly afterward 22 Congress MLAs, including six state ministers, sent in their resignation letters.